Once more The Delivery Boy
by Hikari-J
Summary: As we all know, after the Cell Games which shook the Earth's population it's savior let peace get to him and stopped training all together. What happens when the Legendary Super Saiyan, Broly comes to call? To protect what he still has our hero has to make a difficult choice - Will he once again become… The Delivery Boy?
1. Chapter 1

_**Once more… the Delivery Boy**_.

 **Disclaimer :** **I do not own Dragon Ball or any related materials. They are all property of Akira Toriyama and Toei Animation in Japan.**

Synopsis : "As we all know, after the Cell Games which shook the Earth's population it's savior let peace get to him and stopped training all together. What happens when the Legendary Super Saiyan, Broly comes to call? To protect what he still has our hero has to make a difficult choice - Will he once again become… The Delivery Boy?"

Hello, it's Hikari-J again with a new plot bunny which has been sitting in my head for a very long time.

I'm almost positive that I'm only one of many people who were extremely disappointed about how everything turned out after the Cell Games - I do admire Akira Toriyama's work but is it really possible to agree with how after pushing Gohan to be Goku's successor as a protector he just caved to popularity polls and decided to nerf him and bring Goku back?

As an author I highly respect on this fandom (Who writes the excellent Son Gohan Legacies series) said, what kind of precedent does this set? That when the new generation fail it's no issue because our predecessor are there to pick up the slack?

Well, here is my attempt at correcting this ;) Read&Reviews and more importantly… Enjoy it.

Without further ado - On to the story ;)

* * *

 **Broly Saga - Chapter 1 :**

Years after the Cell Games which made the best of men quiver in terror, a new threat had finally re-emerged. A new threat though was all kind of relatives - it should be said it was a returning threat.

One of the strongest opponent they ever faced, one who made the Prince of All Saiyans collapse to his knees bereft of any will to fight.

An unstoppable juggernaut who shrugged off any and all attacks coming his way seemingly unarmed. From the Masenko to the Burning Attack. From Makkankosappo to the mighty Kamehameha.

Even the Kamehameha which was the last light many tyrants ever saw in their lives as a judgment from heaven was powerless to stop that threat.

The warrior born once every millennia. Burdened and Blessed with an ever growing power - Broly, The Legendary Super Saiyan.

Once, it had taken Goku gathering energy from all of his downed friends to deliver him a lethal blow, a simple punch which pierced through an old scar on the beast's torso, where King Vegeta once stabbed him at a time when said warrior was but a Newborn Baby.

They celebrated that victory, which came to them two days before the Cell Games where Son Goku left this world, leaving it to the capable hands of his son, then eleven years old, one Son Gohan.

Said Son Gohan never, ever damned himself more for not having kept up with his training.

For Broly had somehow returned, here to Planet Earth. Disturbing a fragile peace which had lasted since Bojack was slain. It had started as a normal day too…

After a late night training for the tournament Videl blackmailed him into taking part to, making small headways he woke up in the late morning with a start. Something was wrong and edging at his dulled senses.

But even to his senses, a staggering power was making itself known as a beacon.

Focusing on the center of himself he plunged into said Ki-sense, suddenly countless lights appeared upon the earth's surface - Dwarfed by said power which wasn't one he knew. Which was enough to immediately label it as a threat.

The logic was sound - Said levels of power were usually well known to his senses since they belonged to someone of their group. This was an unknown power level which couldn't originate from Earth otherwise he would have felt it developing. No matter how unlikely it was for an Earthling to rise to this level of power.

Second worrying thing was that this power… It had a Super Saiyan feel to it. But it was something more it was filled with a craving for destruction, for rampage… It was… filled with madness.

All at once he remembered it, one of the most grueling fights he had a part in. A fight where he once more was useless despite becoming a Super Saiyan himself.

It was… Broly.

That was an impossibility, he was dead, he was there to see it, it was like Freeza all over again! This time, he knew his father didn't spare him too!

Even worse, he noticed at once three presences immediately close to said threat which made his mind go blank as his body went into autopilot, taking off abruptly after passing his mother in the hallway, already flying at max speed towards said power.

He didn't know why his little brother, Goten would have went accompanied by Trunks so far out in the wilderness - This was already a worrying enough thought. Further complicating the situation was a presence he never thought would be there _at all_.

'Videl is there with them too?! What is she even doing there?' As if the situation wasn't complicated enough he thought worriedly 'Trunks must have had the idea of an "adventure" that's why they would be so far out, and Goten would of course have followed him…' He cursed out loud 'Why have I taught him how to fly? That's precisely why I didn't _want_ to in the first place!' His little brother got himself into enough trouble without having the possibilities to go anywhere on the damn planet !

At least the Nimbus Cloud would never have let him get this far away from the house… Said cloud seemed to consciously want to protect the family.

He winced in his flight as he felt Videl's power drop down to dangerous level as his little brother's Ki's spiked into levels he recognized as Super Saiyan territory. But even the mighty power had nothing on Broly's 'Why did she go? It can't have been to follow Trunks on his adventures…' Then he blanched 'She must have wanted to make sure Goten wouldn't be hurt… She went to protect _my_ brother even with her strength…'

His hair turning Golden and his eyes gaining a piercing quality changed into an unforgiving teal.

'Please, let me get there on time!' He pushed his speed to his limits, trailing across the clouds at a pace which couldn't be followed even by using satellites.

* * *

In the time it took for Gohan to come to his realization, Broly had already laid waste to their whole group.

Earlier in the day, Trunks came to him, to Goten with an apparently great plan…

 _ **Flashback start :**_

 _It was early in the morning and Goten, the hyperactive Saiyan Child he was sported a massively bored look on his face. It was already taking everything he had not to go wake up his big brother who was tired from his training session - His mother had forbidden it._

 _*Thud*_

' _I don't even know why he is tired, I'm never tired whenever I train!' Goten pouted 'Trunks's dad is never tired when he trains either and mom always says that the only person stronger than dad is big brother so how can he be tired?' Goten pondered with all his seven year old brain which made him look surprisingly cute_

 _*Thud Thud*_

' _Maybe Gohan is doing some kind of super training? That's why he would be so tired? But then why wouldn't he let me train with him?'_

 _*Thud*_

' _Or it's because of that Videl girl? We can never train whenever_ she _gets by- what is that noise?!'_

 _*Crash*_

 _"Oops, I couldn't get your attention, seriously Goten I have been tapping on the window for like, hours!" Trunks Briefs, son of Vegeta and Bulma Briefs, his best friend came through the now… Opened window? Failing at not making a mess while sounding annoyed about it_

 _"Hey Trunks! When did you get there?" Goten said cheerfully to which Trunks just growled before pouncing on him to shut his mouth "Not so loud Goten! Now listen!…" Making conspiring gestures to make him quiet down Trunks motioned for his friend to follow him through the window. They flew over several trees before Trunks signaled him to land._

 _"Goten while listening to Mom yesterday I had a great idea! We are going on an adventure!" Trunks, as mischievous as ever looked like the cat who just ate the bird._

 _"An Adventure?!" And just like that, the second Son of Goku went starry-eyed losing any possible objections while forgetting any warnings his mother ever made "What kind of adventure? Are we gonna beat up some bad guys? We are going to be fighting some pirates? Tell me! Tell me Trunks!" Now Goten was just bouncing around, Trunks would have made him quiet down but he only grinned before taking out a strange white and green contraption._

 _"Tadaa! Do you know what that is Goten?" Trunks asked excitedly, Goten only had a puzzled look._

 _"Is that a watch?" Goten asked cluelessly which made Trunks punch the former's head. Covering Goten complains to this treatment he responded "What kind of idiot would ever think this is a watch? That's the Dragon Radar I… Borrowed from my mom! With it we can find the Seven Dragon Balls and…" Trunks was then interrupted "And Shenron will come out to grant us wishes right!?" Goten seemingly caught on "My big brother told me about them! I want to see the Dragon!"_

 _Seeing that Goten was sold on the idea without even having to explain how he got the Radar, the purple haired kid pressed a button on the radar "So let's get to it!"_

 _They flew off then, unaware of what they would wake up…_

 _ **Flashback end**_ _-_

Afterwards, they ran into that Videl girl when they got into Satan City to look for the fifth Dragon Ball…

 _ **Flashback start :**_

 _"What are you boys doing flying there and- Goten? What are you doing here? Is Gohan with you?" She asked while Trunks first instinct was to fly off at the inquiring female's question. Unfortunately for him Goten seemed to know her…_

' _Well, as long as Goten don't says anything it's safe…' Trunks breathed more easily 'She seems to know Gohan so it would be bad if he spilled the beans, but even he isn't that much of an idiot right?'_

 _"We are looking for the Dragon Balls so the Giant Dragon will appears to grant us wishes!" Goten replied cheerfully to which Trunks face-faulted while holding his mouth shut… If only he knew how his expression mirrored one his mother once wore while traveling with Goku…_

 _Thankfully, Videl seemed not to buy it as anything more than a child's delusion, she still opted to follow them to keep them out of trouble…_

' _Gohan is going to owe me big for this' She hmpfed in her mind 'At least this is an interesting take on playing babysitter as well as a flying training, I still can't keep up with Goten' Videl thought morosely 'But wouldn't it be nice to get wishes from a Dragon if it was true… I would ask what really happened at the Cell Games and at least it would give me a straight answer'_

 _Drifting on these thoughts the two boys plus one teenage girl flew into the distance._

 _ **Flashback end -**_

This is how they found themselves in the frozen wilderness, seven Dragon Balls in their hands however not everything went according to plan.

As soon as they arrived an avalanche got them to which Goten flared his power alongside Trunks to stop it in its course. Good thing that they did otherwise it would have engulfed the whole village on said mountain's feet.

Unfortunately… Goten had taken after Goku in more ways than simply looks and attitude. The same lineage alongside the same conditions growing up had resulted in them having an eerily close life-force. A Ki which in it's youth had the same feel as Goku's. So as soon as he flared it in close proximity to a certain glacier where Broly landed on Earth years ago moments before being flash frozen, said Super Saiyan reacted for the first time in years. This feeling for him was unmistakable, the pain of it was too raw in his head. It was his first memory.

It had indeed been etched in his first memories, while he was suffering in agony because of the much too enormous power contained in his small infant body. A power such that it was seeping from his pores another presence pressed against it. Said presence gave ear-splitting wails which became the trigger to unleash his true powers years after. He had to remember and relive them to bring about his Super Saiyan powers. This cry which haunted his dreams even in his adulthood where his fractured psyche hanged on bare threads of sanity. He would never forget the feel of said miserable Ki pushing against his own. Daring to resist a power he couldn't resist himself. He hated him for being able to do what he could not.

He only learned his name years afterwards from his… Father's mouth.

 _Kakkarot_.

Said presence triggered his powers once more, not even of his own volition. The ice melted away from him, evaporating under the intense heat brought into being by his overwhelming ki as his hair turned golden and a malevolent smirk appeared on his mouth.

It didn't take long for Broly to come upon Goten, seemingly his only target.

As Videl saw him she froze - He looked like the Golden Fighter but he couldn't have been farther from him. When Videl thought about the Golden Fighter she remembered the hero of her hometown who dared to steal her job, but still someone who saved life. A benevolent hero.

This however was no savior.

She lashed out expertly but was batted away like an ant before crashing in the mountain behind her. At this she felt her consciousness fall as blood was expelled from her mouth.

'…Go…Goten' Was her last conscious thought.

Said boy at seeing the girl he became used to hanging around his house attacked flashed into Super Saiyan, his wild hair now standing on end going from black to gold. The young Saiyan sent waves of ki blast at the giant.

Broly merely smiled malevolently, rushing at Goten he caught him by the throat. As Trunks flew at him in his Super Saiyan state the Legendary Saiyan launched the Son of Goku into being airborne, catching him by his ankle.

He then proceeded to hit Trunks's stomach using Goten as a bat, knocking the former into the frozen trees at an alarming pace from the massive strength employed.

At this, the adult Saiyan merely laughed in a cruel tone - This was glorious. In some part of his mind, he knew that this wasn't Kakkarot. Even so, this… Brat looked so much like the one he remembered that thinking they weren't family would have been stupid. So as a warm up, torturing the kid to draw out the father would have to do.

However… He had no use for his little friend.

At this, turning his eyes towards Trunks he smiled. He held out the palm of his hand where greenish energy started to gather in several layers before forming a surprisingly solid-looking object. To anyone having a Ki-sense moderately developed though this was an aberration. There was enough power in that thing to destroy a planet without even trying.

"Disappear!" The hulking man yelled as he threw out the overpowered Buster Shell at the downed form of the little Prince. Said half-saiyan no longer had the telltale Super Saiyan glow which showed his unconscious state.

* * *

It was hard staying awake for Goten even if he only received three blows from Broly at that point it still felt that each one had broken him. As each blow came upon him he felt his whole reserve of energy reflexively going to reinforce the attacked area which did nothing to mitigate the damage.

He didn't want to be here anymore. They were having fun until that big bully who came out of nowhere and could do the same thing Trunks, His Brother and himself could do came at them yelling something about Carrots. It wasn't supposed to turn out like this. Nothing save themselves and their families had enough power to truly hurt them thus far.

But looking at Broly…

'This guy doesn't want to spar with us' It seemed he had inherited his Father's fighting oriented mind for he never thought so clearly, even if he was young, he realized it which made him go cold 'That guy… want to kills us.' Videl's ki was already disappearing. And even as Super Saiyan they couldn't do anything. 'But why? Why does he want to kill us? He doesn't even answer!' This was so unfair! What had they ever done to him?

His blood went even colder when he saw the monster aiming that… Thing at his best friend.

'Trunks…' Trunks was going to get killed. Then they would no longer be able to play together. They would no longer go on adventures. They would no longer get into arguments. They would no longer settle their disputes with a nice meal. They… Trunks wouldn't exist anymore.

Something snapped in him at that moment. It wasn't an increase in power.

It was… Resolve.

'I _**won't**_ let Trunks _**die**_.' He thought.

He flew between Trunks and the incoming energy blast.

As he put his hands on said blast it burned horribly. 'It… Hurts' he cried. He had not been taught how to stop energy blasts by pulling energy on his hands, so as he pushed everything came on… Instinct. Goten put everything he had on his hands, pushing against the attack. But even this…

It wasn't enough, the attack would just kill them both.

Even so, he refused to give up. If he couldn't push back the energy…

" **!** " In a soundless yell, dwarfed by the blast's sound he blasted the energy ball with everything he had using his remaining energy to shield himself. Doing this he forced the ball to explode early as the detonation made him drop out of Super Saiyan.

When the light dispelled, one could see Goten panting on the ground, close to losing consciousness grinning up at Broly.

He had protected Trunks, they were both alive.

His joy though… Was short lasting. Whereas Broly seemed amused previously he now sported an animalistic rage on his face. It didn't make him stronger but it was easier to fight an amused opponent than a mad opponent.

In Broly's mind… This brat. This _thing_ which wasn't even close to Kakkarot's power years ago had defied his power.

Just like his father before him.

At this flashes of a dark room, of cries when he was still a baby went through his mind.

No more. He thought with a snarl. With a yell he threw himself at Goten.

"Your death will not be quick brat…" Broly spoke in a growl-like voice before kneeing the younger Saiyan in the stomach.

"Arghhhh" Goten yelled, praying for this to stop as he flew from the impact.

Broly was upon him again laughing like a madman. It didn't take him long to form a blast in his hands for to him it was time to make the brat suffer. He would have to make do in Kakkarot's absence.

Broly's face was however suddenly kicked making him for the first time fly back from the hit. It was his turn to be thrown around. Then, a Golden figure caught Goten mid-flight as gently as possible.

As Goten was passing out from the abuse he looked up at his savior.

"Big…Brother you are here!" The youngest son of Goku said in a tired but elated voice to his elder.

Gohan had entered the fray.

* * *

As Gohan surveyed the situation he had barreled into, his usually soft features hardened to a scowl. He had barely made it as each seconds before he reached his target was an agonizing wait in which he could feel his little brother's ki struggling against his opponent's overwhelming one. He only made it as Goten was about to be… _killed_.

 **Killed**. His little brother. This word echoed in his mind with a finality he never felt so clearly before. Who could want to harm an innocent seven year-old child? There was no mistaking it either. Broly had targeted Goten not anyone else. His killing intent tainted his KI even more than it was already and it was directed solely at his younger brother.

"Your fight is with me, monster!" Gohan yelled crouching into a stance "I already knew you were nothing but a mad beast and I don't know how you survived my father years ago, but going after children is a new low!" The half-saiyan stated in a low growl as his aura pulsed erratically around his form "You are in the same class as Freeza… There is no mercy to give you!" Gohan flared his aura, going in a dive after Broly as he cocked his arm back so as to give weigh to his punch.

A punch that was caught by a snarling Broly "A monster? I already told your cowering father who still hasn't shown his face…" The Hulking Saiyan said drawing Gohan towards him using his strong grip on the latter's fist "I'm…" Broly brought his leg on an upwards kick which slammed Gohan's mouth shut making his entire skull ring with the impact as the former yelled "A DEMON!"

Gohan would have flown back from the power of the previous hit but the Legendary Super Saiyan had other plans for him, he wouldn't let go of the earth-raised halfling instead opting to pummel the ever loving fight out of him. In the skies Gohan's screams echoed as Broly followed kick after kick, punches after punches riddling the younger Saiyan's body with more and more debilitating blows.

'I can't let this go on' He thought as the older Saiyan rained blows after blows on him 'I need to kill him in his present state, I remember all too well his powered up form' Gohan's eyes opened to glare a hole into Broly's head 'I have troubles matching him as is, there is no way I can end this if he powers up' At this Gohan parried Broly's fist with his knee, using it to take support and grab enough momentum for his other leg to slam Broly's chest back.

"My father is no coward, the dead can't fight the living, Broly" Gohan snarled "But then again, you would be no match for him, isn't that why you instead opted on…" Gohan pressed the offensive now that he had an opening, punching Broly's face with all the strengh he could muster "Attacking his defenseless _child_?!" It was time for Gohan to deliver his own onslaught against the maddened warrior.

"Then, you too are his son? Perfect… Kakkarot will be able to enjoy an _heartbreaking_ reunion in Hell!" Broly laughed as he counter-attacked.

It was worse than that… For Gohan, Broly's speed seemed to increase 'That doesn't make sense… His ki didn't raise in any way but he is faster?' He was now having troubles dodging Broly's hits which seemed just too fast for his body to follow even though he predicted where his opponent would hit 'And my attacks… do not even faze him' His line of thought was interrupted as Broly viciously slammed his arm in his stomach making him spit bile and blood.

'There are openings in his guard… But they close too fast, I can't get them' His eyes widened in disbelief 'It's not that they close too fast… It's that in the time it takes for me to see them then move to get them it is already to late to dodge or parry his next offensive?!' Leaving him no respite, the son of Paragus moved his hand up to Gohan's windpipe, slowly squeezing it.

"You are disappointing.. You barely put more of a fight than Kakkarot's young lookalike…" Broly said tauntingly as he readied another blast in his free hand "But fear not, you are not the last on this wretched planet to die. This Planet which became Kakkarot's home is going to follow him to the grave. If I can't make him suffer with my hands…" He put the blast on Gohan's torso, ready to fire "Then I'm going to enjoy breaking him"

At this Gohan hand struggled to Broly's right arm, the one crushing his windpipe. He started squeezing as his other hand almost burned as it began pushing against Broly's blast. He could feel the once cold winds of this mountain becoming unbearably hot as the full-blooded Saiyan's power came crashing on him. Even so he wouldn't let go even when he was held under said Saiyan's power at a dangerous altitude, his legs uselessly tangling in the air as he struggled not to fall unconscious from lack of air.

'I'm trying to dig up more power… To reach that well of power which saved me so many times… But it is almost empty…' He despaired 'Always under my emotions I found enough power to counterattack… I need this power because if I don't Broly will start by killing my little brother…'

 _An image of Goten's face full of rice which sticked to his face as he devoured his meal in a typical Son family fashion came to his mind. Said brother was smiling at him._

'Videl… I don't know what she was doing here but she entered our world because of me…'

 _It was Videl's face turn to appear as she blushed, hair now trimmed down as she asked him "You prefer girls with short hair?"._ And then she was laying here, because of Broly.

The feeling he associated commonly to his elevated level of power, the power which came at him against Cell for the first time came to him, his eyes snapping open to stare into Broly's as his hand, now sparkling with bio-electricity squeezed. With a snarl of pain Broly could feel his hand almost breaking under the pressure as Gohan's eyes now a clearer shade of teal bore into him with a staggering amount of ferocity.

The tide of the wind had changed, with a yell Gohan's aura flared up erratically now sporadically riddled with bio-electricity. His hair stood up straighter than before in sharper bangs as he coughed out blood, intaking as much air as he could.

"I'm going to stop you, Broly, even if it's the last thing I do you won't touch anyone else on this planet" With this the Super Saiyan 2 launched himself at his opponent with renewed ferocity, Broly meeting the challenge head on.

However as the exchange of blows resumed, now with a Gohan having less trouble to deal blows to the still relatively normal looking Super Saiyan, incomprehension gnawed at him. 'I should be stronger than him in this form' parrying with difficulty he didn't understand a right hook he replicated with a roundhouse kick of his own which was deflected 'I was stronger than Cell when he came back in this form, whereas I remember Broly's strength in that ascended form of his to be slightly even with it…' Gohan flew back, trying to draw Broly's attention away from his comrades which seemed to work as the madman flew right after him 'Also I must be suffering from my lack of oxygen earlier more than I thought, my whole body ache and it's getting worse, I need to put an end to this fight right now or I don't know how much time I will be able to keep this going'

His thoughts were once again interrupted by Broly slamming into him 'How?! I was faster than him' The later launched a volley of energy at him with each blast being enough to tear down a good chunk of the Earth which forced him to fly higher instead of using the trees as cover 'He seems to favor his right side more than his left, because of this it's wide open when he uses a Ki Blast… I could use this' "BROLY! I'm here!" He flew up to draw his attention to be able to safely use his next maneuver.

Right on cue, a Buster Shell was being prepared by Broly, he fired a blast of his own at the forming Buster Shell forcing it to detonate early thus blinding his opponent. Using pure speed Gohan brought everything he had into one punch, it was time to take out Broly from this opening on his left rib.

It was parried "Too slow!" Yelled the older Saiyan before delivering a brutal haymaker to Gohan's own ribs propelling him back.

'Why? I had him! How can he be that fast?!' He made a shocked face 'Or… Is it me who is too slow? It should have worked!'

Now Broly was coming at him leaving him no respite. Gohan cocked his hands back focusing everything he had to try and end this.

" **Ka…Me…Ha…Me…HA!** " Gohan yelled as the titanic blue blast left his hands coming soaring at Broly. And this time he could feel him being pushed back, struggling against the beam. It was only a matter of giving more energy to the blast, only a matter of more power and will and Broly would be killed. 'I can do it, if I'm lacking in close quarters, then this wave can do it' Taking in shallow breaths he pushed once more 'Only… One more push!'

It was starting to overcome whatever Broly was doing to shield himself, it would work.

Just as Gohan thought this his blast started losing all potency as the pain in his body became unbearable. Blood came out of his mouth and nose as the Super Saiyan 2 power left him.

Looking none the worse for wear Broly looked unbearably smug "Oh? is that all?" In truth, for the older Saiyan in his current form it felt like he would be overwhelmed by the other Saiyan's energy wave. He was readying himself to ascend to his Legendary form before suddenly the attack died down and he could only roar in laughter as he saw the Son of Goku reverted back to his normal form.

Sporting wicked looking burns and blood dripping down his body Gohan looked to have been put through a meat grinder as his body finally gave out and he struggled to stay airborne "It's… Not over… Not yet… I can still…"

"Take a fucking clue, brat!" At this, he was shoved aside as a drill like beam plunged towards Broly who dodged it. "I didn't ask for your help, Namekian" The rough voice from before said, one he couldn't mistake as it could only belong to Vegeta, the Saiyan Prince who was floating glaring at Broly in his Super Saiyan form, outfitted in a blue sleeveless spandex and yellow tipped white boots.

The one who caught him was his first and oldest friend. A namekian clad in a purple gi, a white turban with a white cape bellowing to the wind.

"Piccolo?" He felt glad to see Piccolo but at the same time he grimaced, it hurt to be in this very situation. It hurt to be saved once more at his age nonetheless when seven years prior he took the place of protector of the planet from his father. When he swore to never be saved again. This… Felt like Nappa all over again.

"You're a moron, brat" Vegeta voice dripped with disgust "I can see it all over your face, you wonder why you dropped out of Super Saiyan?" He snarled "You let yourself go. Your body couldn't keep up anymore with the power you forced it to channel, trying to ascend past Super Saiyan only made it worst… You were miles stronger against Cell when you were only eleven now you are an adult and you are weaker than you once were" At this point Vegeta glared at him "At least you did something right, you bought enough time for me to get there… Now do me a service and let a _true_ warrior handle this!" With this, Vegeta powered up to his absolute maximum which while still being a Super Saiyan astonished him.

It was stronger than his father and himself were as Super Saiyan at the Cell Games.

"Leave it, Vegeta" Growled Piccolo and if each of Vegeta words dug deeper blows than Broly's what his friend said with plain acceptation and a tinge of well hidden regret was even more damning "He chose his path"

'He chose his path. _He chose his path_. **He chose his path** ' these words resonated in his head as soon as he heard them. Did he really _choose_ this? Did he _choose_ for all of this to happen? To be this _powerless_ even his body couldn't handle what he could years ago? He wasn't an idiot. He could see it. 'When I was younger my power always came explosively when I was angry. And then… I would be left vulnerable'… It dawned on him then 'That's because my body wasn't **ready** to handle such power and instinctively shut it down unless in grave situation' And now… Now his body which had been forged into something which seven years ago could handle harnessing such power was **no longer capable of it**.

He had _regressed_. He knew it would happen but… He didn't realize it would _hurt_ so much to lose what he once had.

"Leave it… Piccolo" He said in a tired and resigned tone "He is right, and you know it too"

Piccolo merely looked grim.

Vegeta had begun fighting in earnest against Broly who was actually being pushed back and Gohan could see that Piccolo not wanting to interfere was simply waiting for a minuscule opening to seize and end this with a well placed attack. They were both more powerful and honed than him at this point and he started to feel like an useless weight. Like he used to feel against Nappa, against Reecome. Against Freeza. All this time he was an useless burden and right now when he should have been able to make a difference he was relying on Vegeta of all people to defend **his home**.

With each thought, it drove deeper what felt like a sharp knife in his chest. Until he couldn't bear it anymore. "It should have been me, me defending this planet, me defending my little brother, and me defending Videl" he said softly, not realizing that he was speaking out loud until it was done.

At this, he felt Piccolo's hand on his shoulder, squeezing it "It's not about the past, or the present it's about the future. You **can** still make this right" he said "But not right now" He squeezed tighter feeling an objection come "Right now you would only be in the way" Piccolo elaborated firmly "Even not taking in account your out of shape body, I saw the fight as I was trying to find an opening, I could see that your body didn't follow on what your mind saw. You have lost your reflexes, and as a result your mind is faster than your body is able to react, telegraphing each and every of your moves"

He couldn't even be angry at that. He agreed with what Piccolo told him, it was a brutal yet fair assessment

"I won't tell you to stay out of this fight, if you can still stand at my signal I want you to use the strongest energy wave you can muster, we won't have more than one chance. This is what you can do to try and make the situation better. Other than that?" He smirked saying something he never thought he ever would

"We will have to trust Vegeta."

* * *

Here is the first of the huge chapter I posted previously as I have gotten advice to try and separate it in smaller parts, read& reviews ;)


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer - I do not own Dragon Ball as said in Chapter 1**

Here is the second half of what was at first one big 16 000 words chapters. On rereading it after publication I realized that it was simply too long. If you would prefer from now on to have long chapters instead of having it in part, you can tell me in the comments and it shall be ;)

* * *

 **Broly Saga : Chapter 2**

For Vegeta this was infuriating. He was in the middle of a training session when he felt Kakkarot's youngest brat and his own son ki jump all the way to Super Saiyan. Which already ticked with him as if it was only Trunks he would understand, but for a seven year-old brat to reach what he worked all his life to achieve was something of a blow to his pride.

Then, he felt both ki fading as a presence he didn't feel in seven year asserted itself and his annoyance turned into dread.

That fool Kakkarot couldn't EVER strike the finishing blow?! Broly was still alive and now he was trying to kill his son?!

At this in a reaction eerily semblable to Gohan he flew through the roof of Capsule Corporation to where the fight was taking place. He could feel Gohan, who he had come to call by his given name out of respect at the Cell Games would arrive quicker than him. Seven years ago he would have grudgingly acknowledged that his son was safer - not safe since only he could be trusted with his own child wellbeing.

Now, he thought with disgust peace had gone to the Brat's head, he could feel he was a Super Saiyan yet he was barely stronger than his own normal form! That was ridiculous. He thought for a time that the brat could become a rival to his own power, not like Kakkarot, nothing could… replace him as loathe as he was to admit. As someone inspiring him to reach higher. A fellow warrior keeping him on his toes.

Yet the brat as he had scraped the tip of his own power instead let it fade away by complacency. There was nothing to catch up to since said brat would only get weaker whereas he got stronger.

He even felt said brat's ki plummet before raising once more, higher than before - Up to almost as strong as he was before the Cell Games. He arrived at that time to see him pathetically lose his transformation as he was about to obliterate Broly.

He couldn't hold it anymore - He openly shared his disgust to the once warrior he had come to respect.

How the mighty had fallen.

He would say more later on, now he had a Legendary Super Saiyan to surpass. Attacking him with a savagery only he possessed and skill befitting of the Prince of All Saiyans Vegeta countered each of the Super Saiyan with his own, every opening was mercilessly taken advantage off, every mistakes made to bite his opponent in the ass.

It felt good to have a real fight on his hands once more.

As Broly readied his Buster Shell Vegeta put one hand out, his open palm facing his foe.

" **Big Bang Attack!** " The mighty sphere of Ki overwhelmed the shell, adding its power to his own as it sped in the air towards his target. Eyes widening Broly took it head on with a scream of pain - his first since he came on the earth - overwhelmed by the powerful attack, seared by the intense heat which almost did justice to his namesake.

Smugly, Vegeta smiled as the Saiyan and the attack impacted the ground with a tremendous explosion which blowed winds with a strength akin to tornadoes from it's epicenter. The attack lighted the fighting arena ablaze as if the sun was rising once more.

Down below, the noise made two figures, a young woman and a child stir.

* * *

As Vegeta was fighting Broly, Gohan was awed. It was downright humbling to witness the foe he had struggled so much with being taken apart in a couple of moves. It wasn't the difference in power. Vegeta was just that much more skilled, that much more honed. Whereas he had come to think that Broly was just stronger than he was when they fought, he realized by watching from outside that it was a gap made out of a difference of skill.

He once was that skilled. But he grew rusty. His honed reflexes dulling to seven years of intense studying and housekeeping. His senses bordering as any member of their group on precognition now reduced to tentative feeling and eyesight. His knowledge of his body and own limits which he had once been so conscious of now lacking. He didn't even feel his body falling apart…

As he was musing, he could feel a power exploding at the edge of his senses.

In the crater formed by Vegeta's attack there now stood a green almost glass like shield encompassing the whole crater. That's where it was coming from. At the very center of said crater, a snarling Broly looked livid.

From his throat an indescribable sound thundered " **[!]"** Like the herald of a storm to come this noise only announced it. From the earth under their feet to the skies themselves everything began to shake. Across the world weather anomalies made themselves known as the wind currents shifted violently and the wind pressure increased. This resulted in literal storms, in hurricanes appearing across the world. Countries where it hadn't rained in weeks now found themselves flooded - this was a natural disaster. Even here, what animals hadn't already left began to do so.

Earthquakes shook the world with at it's epicenter a pillar of green light exploding outwards.

"Now, Gohan!" Shaken out of his trance caused by the mind-boggling power they were so close to he realized what was happening. Broly was ascending something which couldn't be allowed otherwise they were truly doomed.

" **Kamehameha!** " The teenager yelled forcing an overly strained body to give it his all. There was no point in preserving his body if it meant dying afterwards after all.

" **Hyper Explosive Demon Wave!** " From Piccolo's hands a beam of highly concentrated energy erupted, one containing all of his power which swallowed Gohan's before adding it's power to his one. The golden and blue beam sped towards the monstrosity's shield.

As Vegeta saw this, he hesitated. He felt that he could crush Broly even with his Legendary power-up but then he remembered what happened with Cell. How in his pride he let him reach his full power. And how without Gohan's…Help it ultimately cost him Trunks's life. He was the Saiyan Prince, and he was no idiot. His son's life was hanging in the balance and he could swallow his pride if it meant protecting his family. So just this once…

 _He would help_.

Letting out a yell of exertion Vegeta brought his opened palms upon his head, palms facing the sky he gathered power in said hands. " **Gallic Gun…** "

" **Fire!** " The titan of a golden beam raced towards Broly absorbing Piccolo's and Gohan's beam inside it . Their yells becoming one as the blast reached it's target and impacted with a titanic beam.

Vegeta merely smirked.

"We did it?" That was Piccolo.

"Wait…Something isn't right" Gohan said as he looked to the point of impact and more importantly, felt it. There, singed by the blast and grinning evilly stood Broly in his most memorable form. The one etched in Gohan's memory.

Standing tall with his arms broadly open and his hair, now green and spikier than they were before was a monstrously tall and board monster. His muscles bulged more than Trunks when he powered up to the second "Ultra" Super Saiyan state with as he remembered none of the drawbacks his intimidating look was completed by his now maddened blank eyes.

"Mfu…Mfufufufu…Hahahahahahaha! It almost…hurt"

Gohan and Piccolo were too shocked to move and simply didn't have time for it as the transformed Broly took both of their skulls and slammed them together before ramming them on the ground as he flew at breathtaking speeds, knocking both out.

* * *

As Vegeta observed the scene, he was too slow to react in time to intercept Broly.

He was simply that fast.

At this he didn't lost any second in going after the behemoth-like Saiyan, Ki blasts at the ready to draw his attention.

"You seems to have forgotten your real opponent here, so I took the time to remind you!" Explosions littered Broly's body as Vegeta dived on him, forcing him to release Gohan and Piccolo, the former of which who was losing consciousness while the latter was out cold. Vegeta's fist empowered by the Super Saiyan energy blazing across his body, said aura being the only source of light in the current night setting with Broly's sickening green glow smashed into said Saiyan stomach which unfortunately ended up as a repeat of that day seven years ago when Vegeta slammed his leg into Broly's neck.

Meaning that it didn't do anything at all. Nothing visible at least.

Grunting Vegeta didn't let up "Take this!" He snarled, low-kicking Broly's leg in a sweeping motion - Trying to take advantage of his considerable weight. At this the son of Paragus did not even tick

"I remember you seven years ago, cowering away from me… Not much has changed I see?" Broly taunted maliciously "Even then, it was only Kakkarot who managed to drive me off…" he said as he caught Vegeta's leg after parrying a high kick.

He did not expect Vegeta's snarling motion. His other leg coming with the strength of a sledgehammer on his forehead forcing him to release him. Vegeta then brought his legs in a headlock on Broly using it to free his hands which now pointed at his torso. A worryingly huge amount of energy now gathering on his hands as Broly was still destabilized by the hit while his throat was being squeezed by the Saiyan's Prince legs.

"Never mention Kakkarot…" Vegeta snarled "As if he was superior to me! **FINAL FLASH!** " As he released Broly's from his legs grip he fired a tremendously powerful Final Flash, more powerful than any he had fired on Earth before at point blank on Broly.

The resulting wave and explosion once more shook the Earth.

* * *

"Goten, what are you doing?! You need to get away from here!" An increasingly worried Videl shouted after him, she had only regained consciousness in time to see Gohan's defeat at Broly's hands before two of the Cell Games fighters came to do battle with him. Now they needed to retrieve Gohan and get out of this battle zone since it was obvious they would only get in the way.

"You don't understand! I can't help them" And he was right, right now he couldn't even muster enough power to fly and his whole body hurt more than it ever did "But the Dragon can make this all better, we can wish for Broly to disappear!" Goten said with determination to an exasperated Videl

"Can't you see it's a fairy tale? No dragon is going to help us!" She all but shouted, they needed to get away already "Right now the only thing we can do is withdraw and come back with help" Even if she didn't know what kind of help, she doubted her father would be of any help if at all against this, she wasn't an idiot.

"If it's a fairy tale then… Why are the Balls glowing?" Goten who had retrieved the bag in which they put the orbs showed her and she suddenly went quiet "We only need to make the wish before is beaten!"

She didn't know who that was but she presumed it was the flame-haired man fighting the monster currently. She was flabbergasted at the glowing balls. She had examined one before and there was no tech inside. It was simply glass-like balls so they had no reason to glow at all… Unless they really were magical.

"Ok… So it was hmmm…"

"It was?" Said Videl

"I don't remember how you summon the Dragon!" Goten seemed panicked and now Videl was too "Then we need to get out of here already" Videl interjected.

A tired voice barely audible said "It's… Arise Shenron and grant us our wishes"

"Trunks?! You are alive!" Goten was overjoyed and almost glomped Trunks where he stood before Trunks reminded him that they were both hurt and that boys didn't do that kind of thing it was embarrassing.

"Yes, thanks to you-" He was interrupted as surging from the now levitating Dragon Balls a Giant Chinese Dragon appeared as the sky turned blacker than night. The Serpentine Dragon was a majestic creature to behold whose body was covered in green scales protecting his back and a pale softer yellow underbelly. On his head were two humongous antlers for any human. Everything was completed by deep, pupil-less, otherworldly red eyes.

Videl was now completely taken aback, eyes bulging out of their sockets as Shenron appeared in all his glory.

"You mortals who have awakened me, speak your wishes for I will only grant two" The dragon rumbled in his deep voice which was almost soothing to hear.

"It..talked didn't it?" Videl half asked as Shenron seemed to take offense and Trunks shared a resolute glance with Goten

"We wish for that big brute fighting my father to go away!"

"Yeah!" Goten interjected

"So you wish for me to get rid of the Super Saiyan known as Broly?" Shenron's voice rumbled

"Yes!" They shouted in unison, even Videl

Shenron's eyes glowed for a second then he said "This wish cannot be granted, the one known as Broly is stronger than my creator, which means that I cannot do anything to him unless he agrees to it" And with that their hopes plummeted

"You… can't grant it? Some magical dragon you are!" Videl shouted as Goten and Trunks were openly panicking

"Do not test my patience human, now state your two wishes so that I may return to my slumber!" Shenron looked thoroughly annoyed now.

"I know! We can wish for my father back to life! Big brother always said he was the strongest!" Goten yelled as Trunks looked to have regained high spirits "Yeah we can do that! Your dad was almost as strong as my dad so if they fight together they can beat him" Said Trunks to which Goten responded that his father was stronger.

Videl merely interrupted them "Now is not the time to bicker!"

"Can you bring back my father back to life?" Asked a hopeful Goten in a weirdly timid voice.

"Your father?" The dragon stated "This wish cannot be granted I'm afraid, the one known as Son Goku has already been brought back to life once which means I cannot do so again. Pick another wish" Now Trunks was basically boiling at this point while Videl eyes widened to the size of a respectable saucer.

"Already been brought back to life before? What are these people?…"

Goten looked almost as if he was going to break out crying and both Trunks and Videl softened, even the Dragon. As they now understood how much Goten wanted to wish for his father to come back even if he didn't tell them beforehand.

It was at this moment that Broly's power got even more preeminent and Gohan and Piccolo's ki seemed to fade… And they faded fast.

"That's Big Brother and ! They are dying!" Goten yelled "We need to go help them!"

"Gohan is dying?!" Videl said with horror "That bastard attacked him while he couldn't fight anymore?…" She tightened her knuckles to the point they were almost white "I'm going to get that bastard back" She tried to fly up but she fell back down clutching at her ribs.

As the situation devolved into chaos, Trunks was trying to stop Goten from basically running to the battlefield in their states. It was then that the dragon rumbled once more.

"If you do not have any other wishes, then let me go back to my slumber!"

Goten, in a very uncharacteristic manner just yelled at the Dragon "Then why don't you just go away?! You can't do anything, you couldn't get rid of Broly, you can't bring Daddy back and you can't even help Gohan and !" Tears were flowing from his eyes.

"I can" The Dragon instead of leaving looked into Goten eyes "Heal your Brother and his friend that is" Shenron bellowed.

"You…can? Then do it right away!" Goten cried his eyes boring into Shenron's ones.

"So it shall be… Your first wish has been granted, do you have any other wishes?" Shenron stated in a monotone deep voice.

* * *

A warm glow surrounded Piccolo and Gohan bodies healing all of their injuries in the process. It rejuvenated them to the point they even felt fully rested and sated. It was more than any Senzu Bean, it was like a complete rebirth. Thus they regained consciousness immediately.

"We are… Alive?" Piccolo stated "But… The skies… someone summoned Shenron? But Vegeta and… Is that massive power Broly's? They are still battling! Who could have summoned the Dragon?! What if Broly sees it and destroy it? Or makes a wish upon it?" Piccolo raged with a very good reason.

At this, Gohan's senses perked up "The Dragon… It is close by Trunks, Goten and Videl! They are alive!" The Half-Saiyan understood right away "They must have summoned him to heal us so we could go help Vegeta". Gohan's fist clenched "I'm not gonna bust that chance to do away with Broly…" This was punctuated with the Saiyan transformation into Super Saiyan.

"Wait Gohan!" Piccolo yelled "One of us needs to go to the kids and Shenron, if he is still there it means the second wish hasn't been stated in which case we need to send him back. Thus, we will be able to re-use the Dragon Ball in only six months. But more importantly…" He paused "If we can't defeat Broly, someone needs to make the wish to take all of Earth's population to another planet, preferably New Namek so as to make sure nobodies actually dies from this and we can live to fight another day" His wise words echoed unknowingly Videl's

The plan was sound but it didn't sit well with Gohan "We aren't going to run away from him, we are going to kill him once and for all-" "Now you listen Gohan, I can't believe I have to say that to you of all people, but Earth's survival is more important than pride! We can't afford to make any mistake here. Can you feel Broly's power? It higher than Cell was after his regeneration and Vegeta has nowhere near this power, he is fighting with all he already has and you can feel this as well as I can!"

"Then go to the Dragon, Piccolo, I will go help Vegeta, if I tap in my ascended form I could maybe get enough time for Vegeta to deal a finishing blow-" "It won't work, I felt your power earlier in that form and right now it's barely stronger than Vegeta currently in his Super Saiyan state"

The words were delivered bluntly, as usual with Piccolo. They hit home though, sharper than any blades.

He wasn't strong enough to be anything else than dead weight.

He once was. But not anymore.

Because he had taken the easy way out of letting others fight his battles while he reaped a life of peace as the reward.

Because it was so much easier to follow his mother's wishes of him becoming a scholar and a good role model for Goten than to fight her on that.

Because once he had tasted complacency, it was just so much easier.

No bloodshed anymore, no more burden upon his shoulders… Only wasting away on a desk while his muscles atrophied from lack of exercise beyond a light workout. While his senses dulled, while his fighter mind adapted into a scholar's one.

Calculus wasn't going to be of any help against Broly. All the knowledge in the world didn't mean anything without power to back it up.

He didn't realize it as he silently nodded at Piccolo's demands as he was going to help Vegeta. He didn't realize it as the latter's _Final Flash_ detonated in the skies. He silently floated away to his destination. His brother. To act as a backup plan in case things went awry.

He wasn't an asset anymore. That thought hurt more than it should have.

He let things become like that, didn't he?

He wasn't any protection for his brother, he wasn't any protect for said brother friend, and he wasn't any protection for the girl he had come to enjoy having around.

Let alone the planet.

Even the hidden power which always bailed him out, the one his own father had bet upon was no help - His body wasn't sturdy enough to handle it. Not anymore.

He landed besides Goten who was cheering for his Brother and a strangely scowling Trunks.

* * *

He didn't understand. Yes, Trunks didn't understand why Gohan was coming here instead of going to help his father and he told him as much.

"That's part of Piccolo's plan, if we manage to beat Broly he wants us to send Shenron's back to be able to wish upon him in only six months time. If we can't manage it he wants us to wish upon Shenron to send all people on Earth to New Namek besides Broly. That way we wouldn't have any death and could train up to defeat him…" Gohan said with a forced smile.

"But why aren't you going to help Piccolo and Father now? We can do this for you so you can go and help can't you?" Trunks said with a venomous tone.

"Stop it Trunks! Of course Big Brother is going out there now, with the three of them they can get Broly!" Goten said cheerfully, as if Gohan being here meant everything would be fine.

How nostalgic. He felt once like that when he saw his Father on the battlefield.

Only his father never disappointed him.

He opened his mouth to tell them that he wasn't wanted on the battlefield but he suddenly stopped.

No, he was not going to say that.

'I may not be as strong as I once was but…' "Videl, Goten, Trunks, make the wish if we are defeated or Broly comes this way to make a wish or try to destroy the Dragon" Gohan stated.

"Gohan?" Videl called for him as he was taking off.

"Yes, Videl?" Gohan responded

"Get him hard!" She said with absolute resolution

"I count on it" He blasted off

* * *

Nothing they did was fazing that thing.

To his irritation, not even his _Final Flash_ at point blank which still blew off half of Perfect Cell's body did anything more than wound Broly. A shot that had everything he could muster and the blasted man couldn't stay down. He was now heavily burned across his whole body which was still smoking but his power had not dropped.

If anything, it had _risen_.

"…KAKKAROT! KAKKAROT!" Broly now seemed to go ballistic, his primal rage using Kakkarot as a focal point which resulted in his power basically shooting through the roof.

He also seemed to lose all reason he exhibited earlier as a trade off for said power becoming essentially a Berserker.

The Namekian who rejoined the battle earlier expressed the same sentiment of concern "His power is now beyond what Cell ever had! How are we going to stop him?" To his annoyance.

"Besides stating the obvious, if you have a plan well… I'm all ears Namekian" The Saiyan Prince sarcastically stated.

Before said Namekian could respond however Broly shot at them "KAKKAROT!" However he was blindsided by another latecomer to the party.

"Go-Gohan?!" Before Piccolo and Vegeta, Gohan appeared in his Super Saiyan state which was a bit more powerful than earlier surely thanks to his Zenkai power boost. "I told you to stay back on this fight!" Even though Piccolo said this, he seemed oddly pleased.

"I know, I just chose not to hear it" Gohan stated lowly "This is my planet, my brother, my friends who are threatened and…" as he powered up he yelled "I'm not about to stand back and let others do the protecting anymore even if I have to die here!"

"It seems you have not yet gone completely soft on us brat" Vegeta remarked "Yet, if your resolve is back your power is still lackluster, do you have a plan?"

"He is too strong to take one on one at this point, and none of us knows the _Spirit Bomb_ " As he said this he noticed Vegeta taking offense on the first part of his sentence even if deciding not to say anything "Goten and Trunks are in no shape to fight so we are the only ones who can make a difference"

"It's up to us then" Piccolo smirked "I was hoping your fighting spirit would come back, but ultimately it was your choice"

"And I know I made the right one Piccolo"

"More importantly, what is he doing?" Vegeta asked with annoyance dripping from his voice

It was Piccolo who noticed it first, just as Broly recovered from the surprise attack he just started floating there, Ki gathering in a solid sphere around him and then in tremendous amount going to his hands. He was preparing his strongest attack. A planet buster… An attack called…

" _ **Buster Cannon!**_ "

As the sphere of death was formed above them it was being propelled towards the earth. It seemed that Broly in his madness had just decided to obliterate the Earth and anyone on it.

'It seems like the choice has been made for us… We will have to overpower him' Piccolo thought grimly

"Is he insane? Does he want to die too?!" Gohan yelled

"He can survives in space, he did survive Planet Vegeta's explosion by using his energy as a shield when he was but a baby…" Vegeta reminded them as they were readying their own blasts.

" **Ka…me…ha…me…HA!** " Gohan focused every drop of power he could muster into said Kamehameha once more. He didn't hold anything back remembering his father's words when he fought Cell, any damage to the Earth could be mended with the Dragon Balls.

" **FINAL FLASH!** " Vegeta fired his second Final Flash of that fight then, which was less powerful than the first one - He was at the end of his rope there.

" **Masenko HA!** " Piccolo used his student signature technique, severely overpowering it.

For the second time of that day it all went down on a beam struggle of epic proportion where the loser would be obliterated. In the already cataclysmic atmosphere brought about by the moonless sky the Earth shook once more under their feet as they struggled against the incoming attack. Bolts of lightnings came from the sky to said attacks as if drawn to them as a lightening rod. The intensifying winds blowing all around them were just short of being capable of obliterating mountains in the deadly tug-of-war. Even so, the _Buster Cannon_ was gaining ground on them as even their combined might was not enough to slow the incoming behemoth of an attack. The Earth all below them was now creaking and breaking under the intense pressure being given off.

It was still gaining ground.

"We need to put more energy into it, it's not enough!" Piccolo grunted

Vegeta only growled as a response, he was already at the end of his tether.

'More, I can give… more! It's now or never' With that, Gohan ascended to Super Saiyan 2 once again in this fight and just as he did so he put everything in his blast making his already abused muscles scream in protestation.

Merely staying in this form took all he had.

This resulted in the wave of energy on their side becoming more substantial, they were starting to push back…

As he thought this, the attacks forced to a standstill reached Critical Mass.

Vegeta yelled "It's going to explode!"

And explode it did, the struggling beam detonated between them in a gigantic explosion marring the skies with a cross of light. First retracting on itself the energy expanded all around them. Mountains came crumbling, trees were uprooted and the warriors closest to the epicenter took the burnt of the attack, they were sent flying back.

Piccolo's arms were torn by the explosion, passing out of blood-loss as soon as he landed on the ground, clothes charred by the intense heat. Vegeta saw the approaching explosion first and managed to rupture his own _Final Flash_ to bring his arms and legs in a parry, focusing on defending himself to minimize the damage.

And Gohan… The blast's strength sent him hurling in the downed trees for miles, his clothes being shredded in the process, severals gashes opening on his skins as blister and wood parts stabbed him each time he plunged through a tree. His body was literally littered with gashes and burns as he was sent back, not losing consciousness even at the end of it.

As for Broly… Since he was still being protected by the green shield he conjured he was only sent back upwards, almost breaching the upper limits of our atmosphere.

Goten, Trunks and Videl were not spared from this either, the winds were so strong that in the battered state they were in, they were also sent back - too far out of reach to make any wish.

The Z-fighters were **defeated**.

* * *

That was it, they needed to make the wish.

That's what Gohan realized as he struggled to stay conscious. Not even their combined might defeated their foe. He could literally feel him coming back even now, he would be there anytime to finish them off.

Not being able to stand up he was crawling on the ground using his chin and only usable leg. 'I can't feel Goten and Trunks close to the Dragon, I'm the closest so I need to make the wish' Shenron was not far from his position, he could literally see him just towering over him.

"Speak your wish mortal!" Shenron utterly unfazed by what happened, it was time to send them all to New Namek…

"S-Send… all of the people on this p-planet-" Pain exploded in Gohan's face as he spoke, effectively stopping him from speaking. Towering above him was a snarling Broly who even as maddened as he was seemed to understand was was happening.

He wouldn't let them escape.

Broly released him, he was now in the air between the Saiyan's huge fist and the ground, face towards the skies.

The son of Paragus brought his punch on his stomach, burying Gohan in the Earth and making him spit Blood, Bile and Vomit in shock.

Another fist came on his stomach and Gohan wasn't able to stop screaming now. This continued until Gohan couldn't feel his stomach anymore.

He could only see spots of light, his eyes not getting enough blood to properly see anymore. He could however feel what was happening. Broly had stopped pounding on him as a new voice made itself known.

"Leave my Brother alone… You big bully!" 'Goten? No Goten, Run away! Run away Goten!'

"Kakkarot!" 'That's not Kakkarot you idiot! leave my brother alone'

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhghhhhhh!" Goten cried in pain as a sickening sound echoed in the battlefield, his wails now becoming unbearable.

Broly was torturing his brother.

"S-Stop!" Gohan croaked, he had blood in his mouth.

He managed to open his eyes.

As he opened his eyes the spectacle which welcomed his sight was nothing short of horrific.

Broly was crushing Goten's limbs in his humongous hands, the latter of which legs were bent in several points thus making unnatural angles. Blood was dripping slowly underneath him coalescing into a sizable pool at the invader's feet.

That was not right.

Goten shouldn't be hurt protecting him.

He should be protecting Goten.

Goten should not have to suffer as he did when he was a kid.

He wanted a peaceful life for Goten.

A voice sounding strangely like his dad resounded in his head even if sounding wrongly stern for the man. "Then you should have built that peaceful life for him".

That was not anger, this was disappointment. He knew it was not his father talking, he knew it was his own regrets.

Once again he thought. He took the easy way out.

While his seven years old brother instead of running away tried to protect him against an overwhelmingly superior foe.

Much like his father always did for him.

Much like Mr Piccolo always did for him.

'How…Shameful…'

"I trained you to be my successor because I saw potential in you, in the end you were nothing but a disappointment" His 'father''s voice stated in the black void of his mind.

"I'm… s-sorry to be a disappointment…" He did not realize he was speaking out loud "If only I could… Have a second chance… If only I-I was still the one I w-was… at my peak…" He was crying now but not because of physical pain "G-Goten… E-veryone… I'm sorry…"

"Is this your wish?" A deep voice rumbled through the air as his mind came to an halt, breaking through his own self inflicted disgust, Shenron's voice came to him.

Broly's attention was still on his little brother who Trunks came to help in a maddened cry.

"My…w-wish?" Did he understand it well?

"Do you want to once again become the one you were seven years ago, after the Cell Games?" Shenron's voice rumbled and he could not believe it.

Shenron was giving him… A chance. A chance to do over his mistakes. A chance everybody wished for once in their lives was offered to him on a silver platter. He didn't care how, he did not care which.

His brother's screams gave him all the motivation he needed to yell "YES I WANT IT!" He sobbed, this was his lowest point "I want… To once again become t-that person!" He managed to say without stumbling. His broken screams echoed in the eerie silence which fell upon the battlefield as a cry for hope.

"So be it!" Shenron said.

And everything became engulfed in white for Son Gohan.

* * *

To Videl, this could not get any worse.

Everything went down to Hell this day. First they were attacked and made short work of, then Gohan was defeated, then two of his friends she assumed went to try and help him to no avail. Then Gohan turned into the Golden Fighter but she couldn't care less as she saw him go and help the other two fighters take down this monster.

The one called Broly.

And… They were brutally taken down once more in an explosion which could not be any trick.

Then… Gohan was laid upon by said Broly and she could not even move to try and help him, she never felt so angry at herself, so powerless.

Then… that sick bastard started torturing Gohan's little brother. She had seen sickos in her line of work but that was disgusting. He then proceeded to beat Trunks to an inch of his life as Gohan sobs reached her.

"I'm… s-sorry to be a disappointment…" He did not realize he was speaking out loud "If only I could… Have a second chance… If only I-I was still the one I w-was… at my peak…" This wrenched her heart. Gohan was blaming himself for all of this. "G-Goten… Everyone… I'm sorry…" This made it worse.

His hopeless tone.

To her even if she did not want to admit it, the goofy superhero was the paramount of superhuman strength.

Seeing him… so defeated sealed their situation…

"We're done for…" she sighed while she missed was was said between the Dragon and Son Gohan.

"Do you want to once again become the one you were Seven Years Ago, after the Cell Games?"

To which he responded.

"YES I WANT IT!"

And suddenly, an explosion of power overtook her senses. Even to her underdeveloped senses it was like a beacon of explosive strength almost overtook her.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" A yell of exertion was at the epicenter of it all and a startling golden light then illuminated the sky. The Earth shook once more under her but somehow the air felt… Gentler than earlier? This all happened as a pillar of Golden Light ascended to the heavens wreathed in lightning arcs. The clouds were being parted by said beacon of light which turned into a tornado of swirling golden power around them all.

At the middle of it, a single scream thundered like it was ascending to the heavens.

Broly only stared.

For as soon as the dust cleared from the battlefield and the Golden light died down a figure started drawing itself at the very center of the pillar of light.

 _One_.

 _Two_.

 _Three_.

Another shockwave came upon the battlefield as the power at the center as the light dissipated and shrank down to expand around a person's form. Said person looked a bit shorter than herself but not by much. He was wearing a pristine Purple Gi held close by a red sash around his waist which held in two breaches of fabrics propelled outwards because of the intense aura. He was not wearing any undershirt much like Gohan always wore, but this wasn't what was startling about him. Standing tall, his short height was belied by sharp spikes of hair standing on end on his head besides for a long stray and sharp bang falling over his face. Blond hair, of a golden quality. As if they were kissed by the sun.

She had seen Gohan's little brother and his little friend assume such a form before but it lacked substance in comparison. It was like comparing a small stream to the floodgate of a barrage crumbling, pouring all the water it held at bay in a devastating waterfall. His golden aura didn't merely hug his body - It was standing far from said frame, and was littered by bio-electricity bolts humming in frequency with said aura. It was like they were playing _music_ in a violent rhythm.

But the most striking features… It was his eyes. There was no warmth to be found there at all. They were of a clearer shade of teal than she was used to see in Golden Fighters but that was not the reason.

They were sharp. The eyes of an apex predator upon his prey who happened to be Broly. Not vicious or malicious but merciless. Determined. This was a substantial transformation. Like a vengeful angel.

And… She recognized him as weird as it sounded.

It was the Delivery Boy. The one who was at the Cell Games.

And since she now very much doubted that her father won against Cell… If there was one thing she knew it was that if such a warrior was there at the Cell Games then her father would not even have to climb into the ring. No matter how weird it was since he was the same age as that time she knew one thing, even if she did not know how.

He was on their sides, and they may just survive this.

"Your wish has been granted! I will now be taking my leave"

* * *

At first, for Gohan, light was all that he felt. It was a strangely soothing light for his mangled body, as if he was floating between life and death. Then images broke the calm as they came upon him in a fast forward fashion.

As he felt his body shrinking down years after years he saw in reverse order his life from this very day to the Cell Games. From his training in the last months to his admittance into high school. To his countless days playing with Goten and studying in his room under his mother's diligent ways. Years after years his body became younger, and everything came back to him. Skills that had been forgotten. Reflexes which had faded. Body conditioning.

To him, it felt as if he exited the Hyperbolic Time Chamber yesterday.

He instinctively knew how to fight and he did not realize the difference with how he was earlier today… Or was it seven years into the future at this point ?

More important than this… He could feel it, begging to be released under his skin. Thrilling under his skin, begging to be used, to be unleashed on his opponents. He did not realize how this feeling came to disappear in the last years. And now he realized how it felt… empty without it.

How he missed it.

He was still wreathed in Shenron's light which was slowly fading… He could feel his muscles materializing once more on the real world, his bones regaining substance and himself being revitalized.

He did not need to look into a mirror to know he was eleven years-old again, at least in body.

And as he regained his normal sight, as the last images of his life after the Cell Games disappeared - Him announcing his father's death to his mother- the first image of his new life that he saw was his dear little brother being squeezed to death by Broly.

Broly.

He did not need to be begged.

He unleashed… _his_ power. He could feel that Shenron had even healed him… Or was it just regaining his eleven years old body that did this? He did not care but his power, nothing like the pathetic display of earlier came pulsing forward. He jumped straight to his Ascended Super Saiyan State, what he would come to call _Super Saiyan Two_. And there was no resistance. His body didn't hurt.

If anything it felt right.

His power did not own him - His body was trained to handle drawing upon his hidden power for years at this point… He owned his power.

He had not always deserved it, especially these last years… But that would change.

As he ascended he glared at Broly.

He would pay.

"Your wish has been granted" Shenron said.

"Thank you… for everything Shenron" He said slowly, with no anger dripping from his voice "I **won't** waste this, this is a promise until my dying breath" He stated with passion as his aura ignited once more.

"Now, Farewell!" He did not know if he imagined it but was Shenron… Smiling?

It was time to deliver the beatdown of an age.

"You have hurt people very dear to me…" Gohan looked around, and felt - His senses had regained their once unparalleled sharpness - Vegeta, Piccolo, Trunks, Videl… They were dying or almost for Videl "…And my own brother…!" Goten was barely hanging in there

"So what?" Broly smirked maliciously, squeezing upon Goten drawing a yelp of pain.

Gohan appeared just besides him, he immediately noticed two things. The son of Kakkarot was no longer in his grasp and the sharp pain in his arm where Gohan was squeezing with enough power for him to feel pain.

"So… I will never forgive you!" Gohan then disappeared, holding Trunks and Goten in his arms and lowering them near Videl before reappearing face to face with Broly. His eyes locked onto Broly's puppiless ones.

They paused and then their auras ignited.

Anything even breathing would spark a confrontation.

It was taking everything Gohan had not to rush in like a madman but he realized it. If he did this he was no better than Broly. He now had the hindsight of an adult mind in his very powerful pre-teen body. He took several calming breaths and smirked at Broly.

"Raaaargh!" The son of Paragus fired off a punch that Gohan dodged, it was followed by a high kick with all of the Legendary Saiyan considerable weight behind it. It was deflected instead of parried, Gohan then took advantage of an opening provoked by Broly's sudden shift in weight.

He low swept the only leg which was standing on the ground, Broly's only support. It was then almost easy to follow him with his considerable speed, Gohan appeared just under Broly, taking support on the ground with his two hands on the ground below him to free up his legs.

Which he brought on an arcing skyward kick on Broly's head.

The alien invader righted himself in the air and sent several _Buster Shells_ at him but as he noticed.

They were easy to dodge even if they were scarily powerful.

In no wasted movements, in almost dance like graceful movements reminding anybody seeing it of Piccolo, the son of Goku dodged all of them.

In a burst of speed he came on Broly, giving momentum to his knee which in not even a second nailed the latter's shin, Gohan kept dodging any counterattack moments before they hit him. For every hit, he brought down three on any opening he could take.

And they were several, it seemed the angrier Broly became, the more his guard devolved.

That was something he could work with. He had a whole lot of experience with the mistakes losing your head in a fight to the death could mean.

"You know, it's something I had troubles noticing before but which seems obvious now…" Gohan said as he deflected several hits before counter-attacking with a tremendously powerful hit in Broly's gut. "But you are pretty worthless as a warrior." He taunted

It sounded cocky and rightly so, but it had the Legendary Super Saiyan snarling at the mouth. "Worthless?!" His muscles were tensed, ready for assault.

"Yes, your form is all over the place…" He pressed another opening which looked almost too good to be true allowing him to almost dislocate his opponent's shoulder "You have countless openings…" Broly cried in pain "And when the power difference isn't as overwhelming as before it's clear as day that you are no martial artist!"

"I LAID WASTE TO ALL OF THIS WORLD'S FIGHTERS!" The Juggernaut screamed as his Ki formed the same shield as before around his body. That is until Gohan smirked cockily "Scared already? It is as I said… Any competent fighter could pick you apart, you only rely on power without skills to back it up!" It was almost there…

"And you did not lay waste to all fighters in this world!" His opponent was getting stronger. But his hits were even wilder, they where thrown with considerable power and he would definitely breaks bones if he touched but… His movements were telegraphed. At this rate, keeping provoking him would give him all the openings he needed to make him expand his energy and use the slightest opening afterwards to blast him into oblivion if he conserved his own energy.

"I'm still here… To defend this world from you. I'm Son Gohan, the son of Son Goku, of the one you call… _Kakkarot_!" There, he played his trump card and pushed the most obvious and painful of his opponent's buttons.

" **YARRRRRRRRRRRRRGH** " Broly exploded with power and definitely abandoned any reason, he was now rushing at him, trying to hit him much as Cell once did in his own hulking form. That Broly did not lose speed was not an issue.

Like his Father and Piccolo once taught him there were several deciding factors in any fights. His experience taught him that there had different orders of importances. A great enough gap in power would compensate for gap in skills, much like Freeza's powers were more than enough to crush Vegeta, all these years ago while playing around.

Then there was speed, if you were powerful but not faster than your opponent then it meant nothing, you had to hit to deal damage, for power to even matter.

And at the end… There were skills. It had to be there, but an ant no matter how skilled couldn't defeat a human.

But a tiger could kill a human, because it was simply more physically powerful, even without having martial skills.

However, right now, even if Broly had the edge in sheer power, Gohan had an edge in speed brought by his lither form and smaller frame.

He also had a massive edge in skills.

After his wish, Gohan basically returned to his post Cell Games state, even before he fought Bojack. His body was returned to him at this exact point of time, his power followed suit, as did his conditioned reflexes. His senses were those honed in his eleven year old self. He had however the advantage of an adult mind. What resulted was an odd mix of his fighters capabilities at his peak thus far and an analytic mind brought by years of schooling mulling over his mistakes and shortcomings during the Cell Games.

What resulted was a fighter better suited to handle the massive emotions spikes of his Super Saiyan 2 form with knowledge of how to draw it out. And _more_ importantly.

How to play an opponent into making the _same_ mistakes he did with his anger.

Their fight was now taking place far above the destroyed mountains, closer to where Vegeta and Piccolo were laying unconscious. Gohan had succeeded in taunting Broly just enough to make him resort to close combat where there was less of a chance of him to try and blow up the planet.

He would be put at a disadvantage if he had to defend from another _Buster Cannon_.

The Half Saiyan disengaged and crouched in his own stance, a mix of Piccolo's and his Father's before motioning for Broly to come at him.

He could almost see the hulking Behemoth come at him flying aura blazing in slow motion.

' _Five Seconds_ , time to end this' Gohan thought as he shifted slightly his stance

' _Four Seconds_ ' He righted himself, Broly's ki spiked while his left arm's muscles constricted - He would attack with a left hook.

' _Three Seconds_ ' The son of Goku slowly breathed while gathering energy beneath his skin.

' _Two Seconds_ ' Broly was upon him, it almost surprised him but it seemed said warrior regained a bit of reason as his power spiked once more - Was there no limit to that guy's growth even mid-battle? - and instead opted for a right kick. Still telegraphed but he had to end this quickly.

' _One Second_ ' **Now**.

With this, Gohan's plan came into play. He had taunted Broly into a rage to keep him from noticing that he was holding back a good chunk of his own power. At first he had thought that he ought to come at him with everything he had.

Unfortunately, Super Saiyan's power tended to grow stronger with adversity he thought wryly of the time his own strength came through for him.

By making this a battle of skills, the Earth raised Saiyan conserved his power, making Broly's waste itself for one single strike.

As he raised his own leg to parry Broly's own in his first parry in the fight he unleashed all of his power as his aura blazed once more. The shock from their legs coming into contact unleashed a shockwave almost as strong as the explosion from earlier.

One half second of surprise. Broly looked… taken aback.

For the first time in his life, a single warrior **matched** him power to power while in his strongest form.

" **Kamehame…** " Gohan said quietly with a steel quality to his voice.

Broly had no time to brace himself for what was to follow, he instinctively tried raising a shield.

" **HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!** " The last part was yelled. From Gohan's hands a pointblank Behemoth of a Kamehameha surged.

This was the last part of Gohan's plan, at this angle the Kamehameha would leave the Solar System without hitting any planet. He could now cut loose. As soon as he was sure his wave had hit Broly he stopped holding back the last of his reserve. No sense in unleashing everything if it was dodged right? He only gave enough to make sure it wouldn't be deflected at first but afterwards he put everything.

The Kamehameha wave doubled in size bathing the whole north hemisphere of the Earth in a blue glow akin to an aurora. For one moment it was not night anymore.

The sky was clear blue, during the night.

As the massive wave, erupted, Broly's shield cracked even as he tried to fly through it, soon enough it was no longer enough. His shield was smashed into bits like so much glass while the attack enveloped him and he could do nothing to stop it, as struggling as he was.

All he know was light, a light unlike the soothing one Gohan felt earlier was nothing but destruction, the scorching heat of a thousand volcanoes seared his skin to reveal the bones under. Soon even these were vaporized. As he was reduced to nothing he had only one thought, one word staring at his destruction ironically uttered by the man who faced the destruction of the planet he himself escaped so long ago uttered, one named Bardock.

" **Kakkarot…** " With this, the last remains of Broly were obliterated from the universe, for good.

The massive blast kept traveling the universe long after swallowing Broly, eventually becoming just another comet coursing the universe long after said warrior death.

Behind it all, only letting up once he felt Broly's ki disappear for good, double checking for good measure the Super Saiyan 2 smiled with relief.

More importantly, with this wish and him recovering his old body and power… He had recovered his _fighter's instincts_.

* * *

 **Author's note :** Updates are coming to my others stories, this however is going to be heavily worked on as a full length story. I have many ideas about how things are going to turn out after the recents developments. How Gohan basically… Shrinking and having a localized time reversal done on him will affect the whole DB continuity? How his interactions with other characters will change?

I'm deeply interested by your thoughts on the story this far, and your predictions ;)

I can't wait to see your reviews, and your advice - Until then…

Hikari-J signing out ;).

Before I forgot here is... The dreaded power levels corner.

As like Vegeta once said in the Abridged Series : Power levels don't make any sense, and this is to stay polite. Not after the Frieza saga, so instead I will use landmarks.

We will use the diverse form of Cell for this.

Goku, seven years ago at max power : 50% of Perfect Cell's power.

Gohan Adult Super Saiyan in Chapter One and Two : Semi-Perfect Cell's Power

Gohan Adult, Super Saiyan 2 in Chapter One and Two : 50% of Perfect Cell's Power and this is before his energy started falling as his body could not handle it.

Vegeta Full Powered Super Saiyan : Perfect Cell's Power, more or less.

Piccolo : Between Semi Perfect Cell & Perfect Cell's 50%

Eleven Years Old Gohan, Super Saiyan after Zenkai : Around 90% of Perfect Cell's Power.

Eleven Years Old Gohan, Super Saiyan 2, fully powered : Two times Cell's power after coming back from his intended self destruction. (Super Perfect Cell). His injury got him to about the same power as said Super Perfect Cell.

Super Perfect Cell : Around three times stronger than Perfect Cell.

Broly LSSJ : Five times stronger than Perfect Cell.

Here it is ;)


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer : Dragon Ball belong to Akira Toriyama and Toei Animation, I do not own them.**

Hello for this chapter which has been in the works for a long time - It took 21 attempts to actually get it right! I have a huge issue to make aftermaths flow well. Thanks to the Neo Z Fighters for their support in this endeavor (Check out said forum, we are pretty chill!).

Thanks for your reviews, your favorites and following, you have no idea how much it means to me as an author to know that my work is appreciated and you can enjoy something which has been in my head for a long time. At the end of the chapter I answer the reviews adressed to me.

On this, Enjoy, Read, and Reviews!

* * *

 ** Broly Saga : End and Aftermath**

Thankfully Dende had already been on the way when everything was happening, it was simply a matter of meeting him halfway for Gohan. For him it was a simple matter that if Goten in his state could not be brought to the young God, then he just had to bring said God to Goten.

Speaking of which, Goten was the first one treated by the Namekian's expert hands as his injuries were the most extensive. His legs which were not the most grievous injuries had been broken in at least seven points as Dende had said.

All in all, it was not surprising why his elder brother was still in his Super Saiyan Two state, only seeing his baby brother in such a state was enough to make him want to once again kill Broly.

His death had been too swift for his liking. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on the point of view, his father's death had taught him to always go for the kill instead of dragging a fight out. Deep in his musing it was no surprise that the Super Saiyan did not realize that everyone had been healed by this point in time from Trunks to his father. Said warriors were gathering all around him and his little brother.

In their immediate vicinity where earlier today was a lush even if frozen forest only a barren no-man's land laid. The earth had been tainted grey, deep crater littering it from which black fumes emanated. All in all the plains looked akin to something out of a picture book supposed to illustrate the moon craters. Scorched Earth, and remnants of a thunderstorm were the scene of their reunion.

Soon enough, gathering around him was his mentor, his father's rival, said rival's son, the young guardian of the Earth and his schoolmate.

The almost solemn calm was broken by a young hostile voice "Who are you?!" Gohan recognized the voice although this did not stop him from being taken aback by Trunks sudden hostility, his posture being even as unrefined as it was almost a mirror of his father's one years ago. He was poised for combat.

Gohan's narrowed eyes softened somewhat in confusion "What do you mean? It's me, Gohan!-" It struck him as this moment, of course the young Trunks would not recognize him, he had basically de-aged. Oh God, he did not feel like explaining this…

Another voice, this time more mature and far rougher interrupted his line of thoughts "Obviously it is you, what I would like to know is why you look as you did seven years ago, and what happened to Broly…" This did not bode well, he recognized this almost indifferent tone of Vegeta, it was anything but. As long as he had known the Prince, he had had ample time to gather that this would end badly. The flame-haired warrior had perfected to an art form his threatening form of speech which heralded a coming storm if something displeased him.

As for the two last person in the clearing, the only female one was too busy thinking the new developments over to speak. 'So… That man called the Delivery Boy 'Gohan', and I saw him morph into the Delivery Boy after he made his wish…' Videl was anything but an airhead or an idiot, That was a description more suited to her father and that was only at times thankfully… 'What I would like to know is why becoming younger would make him stronger, that does not make any sense…'.

"You used the last wish for this didn't you?" Piccolo's voice was one of rebutting disapproval however. His disciple should have expected this from his strict teacher turned friend.

It was not with a low head that he answered him though, Gohan's eyes bore into Piccolo's meeting his gaze without backing down. Not quite the same eyes that stared Broly's down but a far cry from his usual gentle eyes "Yes, I did…-" Before he could elaborate though he was interrupted.

"You used a _**WISH**_ to make yourself stronger?!" Vegeta was seething "You spent seven years doing nothing while I trained myself to the bone and you make a wish as if these years did not even happen?!" Kakkarot's brat would stoop to this to further humiliate him? He was not able to protect Trunks and was ridiculed by Broly and now once again an eleven years old had overtaken his power by a simple wish and _saved_ him?

He **owned** his life _once again_ to the brat?!

And now his son had to shoulder the same fate? Being saved by Kakkarot's shadow?

It was not Gohan's voice which provided a retort though but the Namekian "Don't get all and mighty with him Vegeta, I remember a time when you tried to get the Dragon Balls yourself to defeat Frieza." Normally the Namekian warrior would not have taunted Vegeta like this as he had come to somewhat respect him as a comrade but his tone rubbed him the wrong way.

If Vegeta was not enraged before now he was "You don't know anything, Namekian!" he snarled averting his eyes from said sickening scene "We are going, Trunks!" the Prince then abruptly took off cursing himself for his weakness.

"Dad?…" A bewildered Trunks let escape it from his mouth as the winds unleashed by his father's take off almost sent him barreling backwards, his hair now ruffled. His face was conflicted however.

Piccolo sighed as Gohan did for the mess that went down "Trunks you should go with your father, Goten will tell you everything afterwards." Piccolo's student always marveled at his ability to seemingly read minds as Trunks nodded reluctantly before taking off after his father.

Gohan took that as his cue to finish was he was about to say "Piccolo, Dence, I did wish for the Dragon to return me to my peak ability" He admitted

Piccolo's eyes narrowed "Fortunately it turned for the best but what if it had not been enough? The original wish was to sent everyone to New Namek…"

"Piccolo, that's…" Dende began hesitantly

"That's okay Dende" Gohan said softly "Piccolo, at first I did not make any wish, Broly interrupted me, I did not even realize that I was speaking aloud but… Shenron heard me" The Half-Saiyan sounded almost nostalgic for some reason "And he granted my wish, in that moment I knew that I could defeat Broly if I had my old strength. It was not something I decided but… After everything that happened I had to do it Piccolo, it came just like that."

In the clearing everyone was silent, from his little brother who was unusually quiet to Videl who was frowning. Piccolo however seemed to wait for him to elaborate.

"Today… Was the worst day of my life" Gohan pursued in a soft yet firm tone "I had to be taken apart repeatedly while I was not able to defend my little brother. The one I swore would never have to live what I lived through." His fists clenched "I had to see as he showed so much bravery to try and protect me when it should have been the other way around, Piccolo! I watched helplessly as Goten was **broken** in that madman's hand as I could not do anything but exactly that, _watch_. And Broly knew it. He loved every second of it." Gohan was clenching his fists so hard at this point that blood was flowing from his hands freely. "

As nobody was breaking the tense silence and Piccolo had a look of grim understanding on his face Dende looked sick and his brother hung his head low. Taking a deep breath, Gohan continued.

His eyes closed briefly as he opened them once more "So I made that wish, it was a selfish wish and I know it, but at that moment it was personal. I had to protect my brother and my friends even more than I had to protect the planet and so I did. Failure was… Not an option. I saw my brother almost die Piccolo, I saw you almost die, I saw Videl almost die too." Said girl looked taken aback as she was mentioned in a conversation she had no part in previously making even Piccolo looked at her. Gohan looked ready to pursue however he stopped as he felt a hand on his shoulder, squeezing firmly.

Piccolo smiled "It feels nostalgic to once again have to lower my head to speak to you, Gohan." Gone was the disapproval from before, there was only relief and understanding "You did a good job out there."

Suddenly, the twisting knots in his stomach lessened.

Silence returned but this time, it was Videl emboldened by being mentioned who took parole "I don't understand though Gohan." In her mind a whirlwind of questions made themselves known "How could becoming younger make you stronger? People becomes stronger as their body ages through teenage-hood not the opposite around! It makes no sense! And… And…" She bit her lower lip "You lied to me… About everything, about you being the Gold Fighter, and more importantly the Cell Games!"

Surprised by the outburst, Piccolo raised his non-existant eyebrow as Gohan looked worried "Videl?…"

However, Videl was not finished "You knew. You knew that my father was a liar, that he had never defeated Cell, didn't you?! You were there, you look like _him_ and after today I can't believe that he killed Cell… Actually I'm pretty sure that you did…" She was speaking loudly at first but as she progressed in her sentence her tone became softer "Don't get me wrong, I'm immensely relieved and thankful that you saved us today but… Why did you never say anything? Why did you let my father take credit for something he never did?!"

Most probably, Piccolo, Dende or even Goten should have said something but it felt like a mysterious instinct in their gut told them that was something Videl and Gohan had to resolve by themselves so they watched.

Gohan sighed as he could feel that Videl would not let go without an answer. He felt that he owed her at least this after today "You are right, I did kill Cell…" Videl had the perfect expression of "I knew it." on her face "…But for your father, I had no idea he had taken credit until months after the Cell Games and at the time I thought it did not matter."

Hercule's Daughter eyes went wide, she did not expect this "What do you mean by "It did not matter"?! Someone takes your credit and lies to the world and you don't say anything?! It is wrong Gohan!"

"It did not matter to me if he took my achievements, I never wanted the publicity anyway, I wanted… A normal life" He sighed

"That's stupid, you are not normal Gohan!" When she saw his hurt expression she backpedaled "Not in that sense, I mean why would you _want_ to be normal? You have the power to actually _matter_ that's something _I_ always wanted, that's why I aspired to be stronger than my father!" She said bitterly "But you lied to the world and you lied to _me_! All this time I spent running after a lie! And I'm not the only person in the world in this situation" Videl actually spat.

Gohan was not ready to back down either "I did not even know you at the time!"

"But you do now, and you have known me for months now!" She interjected "And not once you thought about telling me, about telling the world. You let me believe in a lie! And I thought we were friends…" Her eyes felt strangely moist as she said this, it really hurt to know someone she actually let close to her deliberately let her think herself in the right path "Not two months ago, I thought my father to be the strongest person on Earth and myself a close second, and now I find that not only it was not the truth, that my whole life was a lie but the person I actually found myself close to _**knew**_ and knew how I could actually really improve and never told me!"

The son of Goku took all of this in stride as his previous anger slowly left him, leaving him to revert back to a Super Saiyan. "I'm sorry, Videl" and he meant it. He absently thought that he had apologized enough in one day for a lifetime.

Said girl's eyes narrowed as she pursued "It still is not right. There are billions of people believing in a lie and a false savior out there while my father drags actual martial artists through the mud!" she said "Come the World Championship, I hope you will do the right thing and reveal the truth to the world… Otherwise I _will_ do it!" She glared. "Now I need some time to think about all of this, alone!" At this, she slowly took off in righteous anger toward her home. Gohan wisely chose not to follow her.

This day had been eye-opening.

Piccolo seemed strangely amused though contrary to Gohan "She seems to have a strong sense of Justice…Unlike her father."

Dende shifted "Hey Gohan?…" said Saiyan turned to one of his longest friends "…I'm sorry for not having been there to help all of you somehow, in the end I arrived too late, I could have healed you. But Mr. Popo stopped me from leaving the lookout, he said that if Broly killed me it would be the end…"

"And he did well." Grumped Piccolo "If you had died then the Dragon Balls would have followed you and the situation would have been lost."

"But…" Dende began but Gohan beamed at him

"You actually saved the whole situation Dende!" Said Namekian seemed perplexed, pointing at himself quizzically. "If not for the Dragon Balls that you created, I would not have been able to defeat Broly at all! You saved us all through your power, through Shenron!" The Saiyan said.

Piccolo smirked "He is right you know? You should be proud too"

Dende actually blushed at the attention suddenly wishing he was not there! "I… Uh…It isn't much…"

Gohan laughed at his expanse before turning serious once again "I promise though Dende like I promised to Shenron… I will not waste this second chance to do right. I understand. If it was not for the Dragon Balls, these years of slacking would have been our end. There is no reason for me to be able to do at eleven what I was not able to do… To do better actually when I was Eighteen, Vegeta was right"

Narrowing his eyes, his mentor interjected "Gohan I have known you all my life, I watched you grow. And I was content to let you make your own choices throughout it all whenever possible. Hence why I never forced you to train during these years, I knew you were not a fighter, not like us, you never liked the battlefield, you never liked hurting anyone even in spars. I know you always wanted to be a scholar, to live a normal life and I respected that about you, you fought for what you wanted" The Namekian paused "Do you really want this? To train to do something you don't like? To force yourself through it? Doing something which you do not enjoy cannot bring you happiness Gohan"

"Mr. Piccolo…" In his shock, Gohan reverted to his old manner of addressing his mentor and now he realized. His mentor even if he was harsh at the beginning always had his best interests in mind. Unlike his father who was not there and his mother who wanted him to drop everything and study, Piccolo let him make his own choices. He was _concerned_ about his well-being.

He felt a surge of gratitude all of a sudden, to his mentor figure, to the man who was almost a second father to him.

"It is true that I do not like fighting Piccolo… But today I realized something" The young warrior stated.

 _His brother was lying at Broly's feet one moment, and the next_ _ **he**_ _was thrashing Broly._

 _Vegeta was behind_ _ **him**_ _at the Cell Games, alive even if moments ago a beam from the monster's hand should have ended said warrior life._ _ **He**_ _had intercepted it._

 _Android 20 was draining Piccolo's life, just before_ _ **he**_ _attacked the mad inventor to make him stop._

 _ **He**_ _forced Frieza to back down, leaving enough time for Dende to save Krillin's life._

 _ **He**_ _attacked Dodoria, saving Dende's life._

 _ **He**_ _attacked his uncle Radditz to save his father._

"I feel happiness… When I'm able to protect. Not to protect the planet, not only that but when I'm able, with my own hands to protect the people who matter to me. I realized that leaving the protection to others felt wrong. If I'm a man and if I have this much power, I should use it, nurture it to make sure people like Broly are never a threat again" His eyes closed he was turned in his memories as he stated "When I was younger… I hoped that people would just stop being so horrible to each others… Then I grew up and deluded myself that peace would be everlasting, because my father sacrificed himself to make sure no more people would come after him" The words were bitter on his tongue, the aftertaste was acidic "It was like an excuse to be complacent, I let myself grow weak and all of this happened!" Fists clenched, blood was once again dripping on the ground "If I can never again feel the hopelessness of being powerless, and only the happiness to know I can ensure my family's and my friends's safety… It is worth it to _train myself to the ground_ and this is something I will gladly do… With no regrets"

Solemnly, Piccolo smiled as he put his hand on his pupil's head. Said hand began glowing softly then harshly as Gohan's gi repaired itself and a white weighed cape appeared on his shoulders. As said clothing materialized the oldest Namekian in the clearing told Gohan "Gohan, know that… I'm proud of you, and this will never change. Especially for your choices today" In good humor the warrior added "Strange that you have now become a man but you are in a child's body though…"

Dende, Piccolo and Gohan laughed at this in a well-deserved laughter, even if the latter was somewhat embarassed.

The latter could not shake the feeling that something was wrong, Goten was not laughing with them, actually he had not spoken a word after all of this happened. This worried him. "Goten? Is something wrong? Are you still hurt?"

His head lowered, the youngest son of Goku stared at the ground as if it was the most interesting and offending thing in the world, from his previously still form though, shakes became to make themselves known as formerly silent sobs grew louder with sometimes interjecting sniffles.

In a caring manner his older brother put a soft hand on the youngest's head ruffling his palm-tree like hair in a reassuring manner "Goten, everything is fine now - Hmpfh!" The sudden sound which escaped his mouth was to be blamed on the orange wearing fighter's sudden embrace as he threw himself at his older brother to take him a bear-like hug which cut his intake of air for a second.

"I-I-I thought you were going to die!" He cried "We were playing and then that Broccoli guy came and got all of us!" Sobbing louder he added "Then he attacked Trunks and I only barely p-p-p-protected him! Then you came and then the Dragon could not do anything! And then he tried to kill y-y-you and I couldn't do awyphing!" Between his cries he swallowed hard before resuming "And then… then… It hurt so much!"

"Shhh… I got him Goten" Gohan said as he rubbed his brother's head reassuringly.

Goten turned his tearing eyes at his older brother "But I couldn't do anything! He was beating you and I couldn't do anything to help!"

The eldest son of Goku cursed himself. His little brother sounded like he did when he was at the same age, something he never wanted. Looking at Piccolo for assistance, said Namekian only nodded his head reassuringly. He found himself repeating words he once heard from his mentor even if they were not in the same context at his brother "But it's thanks to you that everything turned fine in the end" His sibling looked at him quizzically as if to say 'I didn't do anything' but he broke that train of thought with his next heartfelt words "Yes, it's thanks to you that I remembered… What I was fighting for… And that is to protect you. It's thanks to that that I managed to defeat Broly even when I was unable to before. It's also thanks to you gathering the Dragon Balls. Thanks to that and that resolve you made me find again… I became able to get him in the end"

"You mean it?" Goten seemed relieved as he dried his tears.

Gohan smiled "Of course I mean it kid!" Suddenly he wondered why he called his little brother 'Kid' like Piccolo did before… It felt like he had become the Piccolo to Goten's Gohan as he thought 'I wonder if that is what Mr. Piccolo thought when I was the same age?… To me he was like my big brother or… A second father' He smiled at Piccolo and ruffled his brother's hair as he said "Hey guys… It's been one Hell of a day".

"Let's go home!" He finished.

They took off towards Chi-Chi's house.

* * *

And then as Piccolo and Dende returned to the Lookout everything made a turn for the complicated as they entered the house.

A fuming Chi-Chi welcomed them in her own manner, all traces of worry fading as she yelled "Do you realize how late it is?! We are _past_ 2AM! I was worried sick! Where were you Goten?!" She yelled as Goten looked decidedly uncomfortable while she proceeded on to her eldest "And you Gohan-!" She stopped in her rant as everything was silent save for the cracking of the leaves outsides and the noises of the nightlife.

They all stared at each other as she looked at Gohan her mouth open so wide one could exaggerate and say her chin reached the floor. Then she proceeded to sputter incoherently "You… Gohan? What ? Happened ? Small ? Shrunk ? Ahhh…"

And she fainted.

Gohan was the first to rush to her "Mom!" he exclaimed as he caught her as she was falling backwards.

The youngest boy in the room merely stared at him before yelling as if he had solved a puzzle "Big brother! You are smaller!" And he sounded so carefree while saying that.

"You notice that NOW?!" Gohan yelled in disbelief. His brother was rubbing the back of his head in a typical patented Son grin.

All was… well in the Son House, as the major crisis they had today had been averted. As Gohan was torn between stirring his mother awake and staring at his laughing brother in shock.

Yes, all was well.

* * *

It was now morning as Chi-Chi overcome by fatigue did not show any indication she would wake up before dawn, the brothers opted to take a hot bath and proceed to tuck in for some well deserved rest. There was no time for conversation as they were both too tired to do anything else besides fall asleep immediately, their nights bereft of both dreams and nightmares thankfully for the latter. Their early morning training forgotten as they slept in which was not a common occurrence in the Son household…

* _ **Crash**_ *

…And the calm was broken as they awoke taking a fighting stance in panic as the resounding noise shook the house. Said noise seemed to stem from someone brutally opening a door and running up to their room as the door violently opened to a bewildered duo of Half-Saiyans.

"Oh thank God, I made an horrible nightmare where my dear Gohan was eleven years old again!" A ranting Chi-Chi had erupted in their room as Gohan and Goten exchanged worried glances.

"Mom?…" The eldest sibling tried.

Nonetheless the matriarch kept at it "Just think what it would do to his studies and career! I shudder to even speak about it! That was a ridiculous dream anyway…"

"Mom!" Spoken louder he hoped it would attract her attention.

"Not to mention how I would explain an eighteen years old turning eleven overnight…"

"MOM!" Now he yelled and their mother closed her mouth in shock, once again staring directly at Gohan.

Gobsmacked her brain looked like it malfunctioned when you looked at her face, she promptly fainted once again.

* * *

"So it's not a dream?…" They were in the kitchen as Chi-Chi woke up looking downright distraught. "How… How did this happen?" On the brim of tears she said "You… You left the house yesterday and returned looking like that! How are we going to explain that!?"

Somehow, he thought that telling her about the Dragon Balls before she finished talking would not be a good idea. Goten wisely kept himself from speaking.

"What about your life? You were supposed to graduate High School, become a Scholar! And then get married and have your own family! What about your life?" She respired, taking a slow breath to calm herself as she stared at her eldest with deadly seriousness. "Tell me how did this happen, and do not lie to me young man!".

Seeing no other way out, Gohan answered "I made a wish to the Dragon Balls-"

Red-faced his mother yelled "Why would you do something like that?! You were not even _old_! I would understand if you were fifty or something but there is something you are not telling me!"

Considering telling her that he was going to before she interrupted her he pursued "I did this to recover my fighting skills" seeing as she was about to interrupt, mumbling something about the tournament and how it was not necessary and how she should never have agreed for him to train for it, he kept at it "I had no other choice as we were attacked by someone too powerful for any of us to beat and I had let myself go over the years…" He said sorrowfully. No matter how much time passed, he would always regret that.

As his mother began to speak again, about how it was not necessary he was surprised when none other than Goten spoke up and yelled in a manner he never heard before "If he had not done that I would have died!"

"What?" Chi-Chi was gobsmacked, her youngest son for the first time yelled at her, but before she was able to reprimand him on this, she heard Goten say it.

He would have died. Why?

"That guy came out of nowhere when we were playing with Trunks and Videl and he attacked us! He beat us all and then he beat big brother and Mr. Vegeta and Mr. Piccolo, he was going to kill all of us! Then big brother made that wish and he got him! He was amazing!"

A multitude of emotions passed through Chi-Chi… When she heard her youngest son, the one who looked the closest to Goku, her dead husband say that he would have died something broke inside her. Learning that she was pregnant with him was what made her able to climb back up the slope of despair she fell to when her love died. That and the fact that Gohan needed her in his life. She knew in a manner that horrified her that she may not have been able to go on otherwise. Thus… Learning that her son came close to death not later than yesterday shook her. Any retort she had died down as she got down to Goten's level and embraced him. "He was going to kill you?" She said in a voice full of deadly intent.

If Broly had been alive, Gohan was sure she would have attacked him right then and there without regards to her own life no matter how little she could have done to him.

Not wanting to burden his little brother with retelling it all, he squeezed his shoulder as he said "I had to watch helplessly as Broly squeezed him to death, then Shenron offered me a way to save him and I took it. The only thing I regret is not having been able to do anything before then" Later, he would curse himself in hindsight for being so blunt on the details as Chi-Chi hugged her youngest ever more fiercely, as if Goten would disappear if she let him out of her embrace.

"Then… You did the right thing Gohan" That, he did not expect. "Anyway if that was a wish with the Dragon Balls, we can always gather them again to wish yourself back to how you were…"

He… Did not think that it was a possibility. And yet, he knew why. He never considered it because it was not an option. He may not have thought about it at the time but he did not want to go back to how… _Powerless_ he was.

Chi-Chi seemed to feel that something was wrong as her son did not look happily at her for having figured this out. It was cemented when he spoke "I won't".

"What do you mean you won't?!" She screeched "Goten is safe now! There is no reason to stay like this!"

"And next time, who will protect him? Or you?" He stated as recoiled as if struck.

"B-But…" She said "Well… I suppose that even if you stay like this you can still study! Who knows you may be able to major in several fields after all of this?" Somehow, in her voice, he could feel she did not really believe in her words.

Not wanting to crush her hopes, Gohan told himself that he still had to. It would do no good to let her hope in vain "I can't either… I'm going to train."

"NO!" She yelled "Why would you want to?! Every time you, or your brother, or your father before then step on a battlefield you come back injured, at death's door! For God's sake, your father even died on the battlefield! Two times! Do you want to kill me with worry?!"

Looking at her firmly, with the same determination he bore yesterday against Broly or when he spoke to Piccolo, he answered. "That's why I'm going to train. Whether I do or not, I will still go to fight any threat that emerge because I won't let anybody else protect what is _**mine.**_ My family should not have to rely on anyone else to protect them when I'm there! What kind of man would I be, what kind of person, if I was too weak to help my own brother and my own mother?!" He released his breath "I would not be the son of Goku, and I would not be your son. The son of two person who always fought for what is right"

Being well-studied came in handy when one had to make a point. After all, High School was all about being able to express oneself in essays using arguments and examples. That was the most important skill to learn for College, a level of study he was already at. He put all of this to use when he remembered the scars of yesterday. How infuriating it was to have to stand on the sidelines as a burden when Vegeta and Piccolo fought his battles.

"But… Neither your brother or me would be on the battlefield to fight these battles! We would not be in danger!" She tried to rationalize.

He was about to answer that even his father dying did not stop people coming after them, and that if the Earth fell to enemy's hand or was destroyed then they would still be in danger. What he did not expect was his brother speaking up once again.

"Yes… I would" Goten stated his fists clenched as every head turned to him. "Because it is not right to hide when bad people are hurting others."

"Absolutely not!" Surprisingly, it was Gohan who had said this "I'm not about to train to protect you so that you can just put yourself in even more danger!"

Outraged his little brother yelled "If you are protecting me, then who is protecting _you_?!"

Gohan's features softened as Chi-Chi watched the by-play "I can defend myself Goten, don't worry about this… You should focus on having a normal childhood, playing with Trunks, studying or focusing on skipping your studies" His mother humphed at that "Catching animals and the like, not train for the next threat!"

He hoped that had settled it but his brother dried his tears looking all the more determined "I will still train and I will still come to help you! I don't want you to leave me behind big brother!"

Scowling his older brother said firmly "It is not a game Goten! You don't know how to really push yourself, you will just get killed you are only seven! Wasn't yesterday enough?!" He hated himself when Goten flinched as he said that but he could not let his brother get hurt. He did not understand that fighting was not a game.

"Then why don't you train me? Then I would get stronger! I want to be as strong as you Gohan! I want to be able to protect you too!

Said Saiyan stopped mid-thinking, it's true. Why could he not train Goten alongside him? He was already a Super Saiyan! If he trained him then his little brother could protect himself better. He also knew that whatever he did, Goten would still train by himself, possibly hurting himself. There was also no possible way for him to stop his little brother from coming to help on fights.

"You both are way too much like your father…" His mother said with a melancholic voice "And you Goten are way too much like your brother"

"Mom?" They both said bewildered, why had she done a complete 180 from her earlier anger?

"You can't stop him from training Gohan just like I could not stop you when you were his age, you are both too righteous for that." She seemed to both like it and regret it "No matter everything that I did… I could not stop you from following in both your father's footsteps and mine even though that way only leads to suffering and very few praises" She put an hand on both her sons's head "I wanted a life away from strife for you both, I really tried too!" Gohan hated himself as she was starting to cry "But seeing you both speak like that to each other, I realize that it is impossible, you both will always fight, no matter how strong you are for Good won't you?"

"Mom…" Gohan did not know what to do with this new development, and he could not help but feel guilty at bringing this about.

"Promise me one thing Gohan!" And she was back to yelling even if it was not on the same tone.

"Of course, what is it?" The elder Half-Saiyan said softly.

Eyes as serious as always Chi-Chi told him "Train your brother, he is too much like you, he will run after you and get hurt whatever we say or do also… I won't tolerate my sons becoming lazy bums! If you train you better train so hard that nobody will ever be able to wound you! That's why… Promise me that whatever happen you won't die" She cried.

' _Promise me that you won't leave me too'_ Was the hidden meaning.

"Of course" The brothers both said as Gohan said.

' _Nobody in this house will die as long as I'm alive'_ Was Gohan's hidden resolve.

* * *

As she observed both of her sons eat, Chi-Chi was deep in her thoughts.

She had seen her eldest son come back with her youngest after a day and night worrying over them as the television reported strange natural happening on the Earth, as she recognized the light of a Kamehameha in the skies as it was being reported.

As a fighter, even one not attuned to KI she could feel the tremendous forces at play on Earth and the Golden Lights being emitted by a Super Saiyan, something which looked more like delinquents bleaching their hair than anything Super in her opinion.

She knew her sons were in the middle of it despite her best wishes and prayed for their safety. Praying seemed to be the only thing she was able to do as she did whenever her husband was wounded. She used to be a fighter, she still was, someone who at that was used to always get her way somehow. She was a princess in life who knew how to fight for what she wanted.

She hated feeling so powerless that she could not defend her family, the only thing she could do was try to stop them from getting themselves in fights which were a parody of what a martial arts fight should be and were nothing more than glorified slaughters.

She could stand martial arts tournament and proving someone superiority at such an art but seeing it perverted into something meant to harm her family was something she abhorred and tried to prevent. Leave the defending to someone else… Why couldn't they be at least a little more selfish?

'That's idiotic I know… I would not have married Goku if he was a selfish bastard and I can't stop myself from wishing they were at least selfish enough to put their family life and theirs lives above other's'

They would not be who they were if they did however.

Today though, when her sons came back, she was infuriated, what had happened to Gohan? What had happened at all?

She was shocked to learn that he actually wished for himself younger, sacrificing his everyday life to retrieve a power he would have nurtured had he kept fighting. That more than anything shook her beliefs and she knew that there had to be another reason.

She learnt it eventually, her youngest son had been at death's door, specifically targeted as his brother was no better and forced to watch it. She could not bear herself to imagine herself in his shoes.

She was actually glad that he did, and guiltily wondered if encouraging her son to keep up his training could have averted this. She prided herself in her youngest's normal life, teaching him martial arts as a way to connect with his father, something which was ripped apart yesterday while she could only hope had left his innocence intact.

The worst was, she could not bring herself to oppose Gohan's decision to stay like this and keep training. She could see a resolve strangely familiar in his eyes, what got to her was that it was not his father's resolve.

She saw these eyes everyday in a mirror after all.

Those were the eyes of a person determined to protect his or her family at any cost. This was the most admirable of unshakeable determination. Her husband was always determined to protect them, sure but he had the same determination exactly to protect the whole planet, and the same determination to defeat an opponent for himself.

Her husband sought battles for the sheer thrill of it. She mistook this in her sons for the same desire as their father, one she would label as selfish to prefer a good challenge to their family life. But now she realized it was not.

Like she wanted to do after seeing Piccolo almost kill her husband on what should have been their happiest day, her eldest had become a man wanting to protect what was his. His family now composed of his little brother and herself.

She did not like it, but she would be an hypocrite if she condemned this. Her son had shown his resolve with that wish. Even if she thought he did not realize at the time how much he would sacrifice - His own identity, legally, and everyday life - for it.

Her youngest sported the same expression as the first and only time her eldest opposed her before, when he wanted to go to Namek. He would not budge and would do everything to protect not himself but his brother.

She did not like it once more, but she would support it. On the condition they trained together. That would not stop her from complaining about how they had neglected theirs studies but…

'Studies are only useful if they are alive after all…'

Chi-Chi sighed, strangely smiling 'Goku, you would be proud of your sons… But you could not be prouder of them than I am. They are fine boys who understand the most important thing in life after all…'

Now, she had preparations to do. They had training to start and she could not wait until the day of the tournament to see them roll on the competition.

* * *

And that's a wrap! Now on to the answer to reviews ! I wanted to actually put the first training scene between brothers but it was already more than 7000 words... So it will be for the next time. Read and reviews though (answer to precedent reviews are under this). Don't hesitate to tell me if you feel a character is OOC without believable explanation, I tried to nail Chi-Chi's character, alongsides Vegeta and Videl which counting the circumstances was excedingly hard in one chapter... ;)

I did actually listen to "Turnabout Sisters Compilation" which helped me write the Goten/Gohan interactions...

 **Force Smuggler :** As for Vegeta being furious... You have not seen anything yet. I do hope that I stayed in character for said Prince, he is... Hard but enjoyable to write.

 **Joepaul6 :** You have no idea how much I love the fact you enjoyed it! That's what I wanted to write about in this fight against Broly : Gohan recovering that sheer badassery he had during his fight with Cell and the art style he had. I can't stand his new hair after the buu saga... ^^'

 **FriTik :** Glad you loved it, love the formulation of the review though! Hope you stay tuned for more ;)

 **RKF22 :** Here's more, even though there is even more coming! I can't wait to go to the good parts... ^^

 **LpBoyXIII :** There must be a price to recover all of this with a wish. The only reason the Dragon was able to was because at said age, Gohan had them. His eleven years old body reflexes in his eighteen years old body would only have served to make him less effective. This is also my attempt at giving back to Gohan an actual Teenagehood. Alongside something else. ;) I do hope you will come to love it once you see what I have in mind!

 **First Guest :** I find it hard to swallow than a point of Power Levels (which are not even cannon as the only powerlevel, as actual we have is Freezer's second form as everything on the wiki is data from Jump (which is said to not be canon) and calculations based on Freezer having 120 000 000 units which is a misconception. It's easy enough to see. Also, power levels are up to the author ;)! A story should be enjoyed for it's character developpement, story, and in the case of DBZ, fights scene, power levels are secondary as long as they are believable and not bashing territory but that's my opinion.

Also, if one thinks about it, if Frieza had 120 000 000 instead of the actual 12 000 000, as the Kai canonically stated, when Goku came to fight Frieza he was already using Kaioken Times Ten. He used Times Twenty against Frieza which was at 50% as said by himself which would mean that Goku had an actual power level of 60 000 000 with 20 times Kaioken which would mean a base power after "Zenkai" (which isn't a canonical term). Acknoleding that without Kaioken against Ginyu he was at 90 000 that would mean a Zenkai of... 2 910 000 to get to 3 000 000 base power against Frieza? When he had no mortal wounds and was only roughed up opposed to Vegeta having a hole blasted through his stomach?!

A power level of 300 000 after Zenkai seems more believable. Meaning after twenty times Kaioken a power level of 6 000 000. Half of 12 000 000. Also if we start believing that Super Saiyan is a 50x Multiplier (which I highly doubt!) then it would means 300 000 x 50... 15 000 000, enough to defeat 100% Frieza with slight difficulties.

I for one would believe that, but I actually believe something else : Power Levels are Bullshit as TFS Abridged Vegeta is prompt to say and have no actual meaning after Second Form Frieza.

I would have answered that on PM but as you are a guest I could not, sorry for the other for the sizeable answer.

 **Second Guest :** I will have to agree for the Gohan SSJ2 in the second movie being highly debatable! Thanks for your support and sorry for the sporadic updates, I'm however trying hard to provide chapters in spite of my issues stopping me from posting a chapter unless I feel it's at least "adequate" in my standards.

 **Nancy103 :** Stay tuned for some more Videl-Gohan drama! And Cell drama too ;)

Power Levels corner! :

Goten Normal Form : Around the same level as First Form Frieza, giving him the power to turn Super Saiyan having exceeded the average Saiyan by a mile. Though as he never really trained as hard as Goku or Gohan alongside his age playing against him he is far from their levels at the Cell Games.

Goten Super Saiyan : His Super Saiyan being nowhere near mastered he is at Third Form Frieza's level.

Mr. Popo : ? ;)


End file.
